Final answer:
History books use a false portrait of Henry Hudson primarily because it is useful to put a face to a name. Portraits from his time were rare and reserved for the wealthy, so any existing image, even if not definitively accurate, is used for visual representation in historical narratives.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct option is D:
The most likely explanation for why history books continue to use a false portrait of Henry Hudson is D. It is useful to put a face to a name. Given the time period in which Hudson lived, portraiture was a rarefied art form typically reserved for the wealthy or those of significant status. This fact, coupled with the value placed on having a visual representation to accompany historical figures, leads to the continued use of available images, regardless of their precise accuracy. Portraits from Hudson's era were more about social status than photographic likeness, and they required lengthy sessions that most people of the time, except for the wealthiest or most noteworthy individuals, could not commission or sustain.
Considering the scarcity of portraits and the value placed on visual representation, historical accounts often rely on whatever imagery exists, even if it is not definitively accurate. In the case of George Washington, Gilbert Stuart's unfinished painting became iconic despite its incompletion, speaking to the strong desire for an image to accompany the legend of a historical figure. Similarly, in the absence of definitively authentic portraits, history books utilize the available images of Henry Hudson as a means to provide a tangible connection to the historical narrative, recognizing the power of portraiture to make past figures more relatable and memorable to readers.