The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 11.1488 Friday, 11 August 2000.
From: Dana Shilling <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Thursday, 10 Aug 2000 11:49:32 -0400
Subject: 11.1479 The Ring of Royal Little Fingers
Comment: Re: SHK 11.1479 The Ring of Royal Little Fingers
Lucia Setari wrote:
>Glancing through an illustrated book of history, I noticed that both
>Richard III and Henry VIII are portrayed as if they were slipping a ring
>off, or, more likely, on the little finger of their right hand.
>
>Can any of you tell me the meaning of this gesture?
I always assumed it meant that they were so nervous that they fidgeted
through the portrait sittings, and this characteristic gesture was then
recorded.
Dana Shilling