Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603)

Date1590-1600

MediumOil, formerly on wood panel, transferred to canvas in 1946

DimensionsUnframed: 79 x 51in. (200.7 x 129.5cm) and Framed: 85 9/16 x 60 11/16in.

Credit LineGift of Preston Davie

Object number1945-20

DescriptionPortrait, Queen Elizabeth I; dark dress, probably of velvet with farthingales and an arrangement of wired out veil about the shoulders, with embroidered white satin sleeves in fleu-de-lis design. Dress decorated on bodice and skirt with heavy desing of pearls and other jewels, white pleated ruff at neck and cuffs at wrist. In one hand is a pair of gloves with a cuff decorated in pearls and jewels, in the other hand is what we presume a feather fan or muff. Around her neck are three stands of pearls. A circular emblem on her breast has not been identified. On her head is a jewelled tiara with a central pearl drop over brow.
Label TextQueen Elizabeth I ascended to the English throne November 17, 1558, following the death of her half-sister, Mary. She was crowned at Westminster Abby in January of 1559 and ruled until her death in 1603. This painting of Elizabeth is thought to be a version of the so called Darnley portrait of 1575. Named the Darnely portrait because it was at one time owned by the first Earl of Darnley, the portrait appears to have been recognized as the official likeness of the queen and all other portraits made afterward were copies of the face from the 1575 portrait set into different costumes and backgrounds.

While the artist is unidentified, they were seemingly skillful enough to portray the queen in a lavish, likely velvet, dark dress with embroidered white satin sleeves. The bodice and skirt are heavily decorated with pearls and other jewels and Elizabeth’s signature white pleated ruff at the neck completes the remarkable garment.