Henry VIII's family reunited for first time in 400 years

Portraits by the painter Hans Holbein of Henry VIII, his third wife, Jane Seymour, and their infant son Edward are to be displayed together for the first time since the 16th-century monarch gazed at them.

The portraits, showing at Tate Britain from September as part of the Holbein In England exhibition, will be displayed alongside images of prospective brides for the king from courts across northern Europe, sent to him by the German-born artist. It will be the first exhibition in Britain dedicated to Holbein for 50 years.

The show, 150 paintings, 40 portraits, miniatures and jewellery designs, will not only reflect the turbulent relationship between the king and his six wives but trace the cultural impact of Holbein's work, which is believed to have brought the Renaissance to Britain and started the trend for portraiture.

Stephen Deuchar, the director of Tate Britain, said Holbein's influence was considerable. "Many artists have been given the accolade of the 'father of British art', such as Hogarth and Reynolds, but if you asked both of them who it was, I think they would have said Holbein."

Born in Augsburg, Holbein established himself in Basle, but moved to London at the age of 29 where he became the first portrait painter to the court. During his tenure he painted a quarter of all Tudor royals.

Henry VIII sent him on missions across Europe to send back images of prospective brides. He completed seven such studies, some of which will be displayed in the exhibition They include a portrait of Anne of Cleves, who became the king's fourth wife (they were divorced), and Queen Christina of Denmark. Henry was said to be keen to marry Christina but she refused to consent because she "wanted to preserve her head". A portrait of Anne of Cleves' sister Amelia, another prospective bride, is not included in the show.

Susan Foister, curator of the exhibition, said Holbein displayed a remarkable resourcefulness, sometimes verging on "unscrupulousness" which helped him to survive when others were losing their heads", particularly after Henry's separation from the Catholic Church. "He was a survivor," she said. "After the break with Rome when England was on the path to the Protestant Reformation he launched a line in Protestant imagery."

Dr Foister said the show would study his impact on British art, and the way in which he "revolutionised painting in this country".

Holbein retained his position as court painter from 1535 until his death in London, thought to have been caused by the Great Plague in 1543. He had a wife and family in both Basle and London.

The oil panel portrait of Henry is thought to date from 1537, and the portrait of Jane Seymour, the only bride to fulfil Henry's wish for a male heir, was begun a year earlier.

The portrait of Edward, Prince of Wales, shows him as "a baby but with an adult pose", imitating his father and reflecting his authority, Dr Foister said.

Another portrait revealing Henry's sense of self-importance shows him in the foreground with his father in the shadows behind his formidable form, with a Latin inscription posing the question of who is the "greater king".

Holbein's masterpiece The Ambassadors which hangs at the National Gallery cannot be lent to the exhibition for fear of damage to its wood panel.