Analysis of Elizabethan Portrait.

Elizabethan Portrait.

This is the portrait of Queen Elizabeth 1st. Queen Elizabeth I, 1592. Circle of Nicholas Hilliard. Hardwick House.

Just from looking at this portrait you can tell it is in the later years of her life. As her life went on her portraits of herself became more extravagant. And comparing this to one in the 1560’s you can see this. The dress is showing wealth and that image counts. It’s large, eye catching and has so much going on you can’t help but stare which is what she wanted. It is also in black which is a colour of the upper class.

The picture, like a lot of hers, is loaded with other things to draw attention away from her and the fact that she is a woman. Women were seen as second class, so the big extravagant dress, huge scraped back hair, bold make up, cluttered background, the use of props and heaps of jewellery are to not only to show wealth and power but for people not to focus on the fact she’s a woman. She’s showing female power and stood with her head high.

The pearls round her neck and symbolising purity and were also considered the most valuable. The rose on her dress is also symbolizing purity and virginal. As it had religious meanings as the symbol of Virgin Mary. Holding the gloves in her hands she is trying to symbolize elegance.

The fact that there is a thrown in the background with a cushion with her initials on is her wanting people to know that she is the Queen and how powerful and rich she is. Signify monarchy. The spikes coming out of her dress are making her look untouchable

So although she is trying to give an impression of being a strong queen and that she is powerful and wealthy, after looking closely you see that she is also trying to convey another side to her, an elegant virginal godless like woman. I think she gives this harsh first impression off because she doesn’t want to seem like a feeble woman, she wants to be a queen that people look up too even though she’s a woman and don’t doubt her for that.