Well, as this Lady is obviously with Brandon it must be Mary. Mary was known to be a greater beauty than Anne Boleyn who attracted by her wit and Black eyes. Court Painters took license many times. I became interested in the meaning of the Artichoke so I did a little research and I found this:
1500s - In the 16th century, Catherine de Medici (1519-1589), married to King Henry II (1519-1559), of France at the age of 14, is credited with making artichokes famous. She was quoted as saying, "If one of us had eaten artichokes, we would have been pointed out on the street. Today young women are more forward than pages at the court."
The chronicler, Pierre de L'Estoile, in his Journal of June 19, 1576 talks about the occasion of the wedding of Marquis de Lomenie and Mlle de Martigues, "The Queen Mother ate so much she thought she would die, and was very ill with diarrhoea. They said it was from eating too many artichoke bottoms and the combs and kidney of cockerels, of which she was very fond."
From the "Book of Nature," by Dr. Bartolomeo Boldo in 1576, "it has the virtue of . . . provoking Venus for both men and women; for women making them more desirable, and helping the men who are in these matters rather tardy."
*Only one questionable note here I think the Mary Tudor/Brandon painting predates the marriage of Catherine de Medici so I think artichokes must have been well known for fertility purposes prior to this. Anyone know anything else?
