After our visit to the National Portrait Gallery, I also researched other portraits of Queen Elizabeth I and this is my favourite : The Rainbow Portrait attributed to Isaac Oliver, which is displayed at Hatfield House. The rich colours and intricate detail are amazing!
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| The Rainbow Portrait |
In the Elizabethan era it was very unlikely that an ordinary person would ever see the queen, so when a monarch had their portrait painted it was their way of showing people the image of themselves that they wanted to portray; with a monarch, for example, rich, powerful and in charge. Artists at the time used various symbols to suggest the image their sitter wanted. This portrait was painted around 1600, when Elizabeth was in her late 60’s, but clearly shows her as a much more youthful Queen, which was how she wanted to be remembered. It is uncertain who painted this picture, but it is thought to be Isaac Oliver was known as a miniaturist and painted in intricate detail. Whilst researching, I realised the importance of the numerous symbols incorporated into portraits at the time and how a viewer can have their own interpretation. However, the overall image portrayed is of an immortal virgin queen.
Some of the symbols in this portrait are:-
Rainbow : Elizabeth is holding a rainbow, under a Latin motto ‘Non sine sole iris’, meaning no rainbow without a sun, suggesting that only she can ensure peace and calm for the country
Eyes & Ears : there are eyes & ears embroidered on her beautiful cloak, suggesting she can see & hear everything
Snake : the beautifully embroidered snake on her arm suggests wisdom
Ruby : held in the snake’s mouth, represents the Queen’s heart, suggesting her emotions are controlled by her wisdom
Flowers : the flowers embroidered on her bodice refer to Astraea, the Just Virgin of the Golden Age, when it was perpetually spring in the world
Clothing, Jewellery : suggest power & elegance
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| The Headdress |
The Queen’s headdress is beautifully decorated in intricate detail, supporting her royal crown. The pearls symbolize her virginity & the crown her royal status. The crescent shaped jewel above her crown refers to Cynthia, the goddess of the moon, or can be interpreted to refer to Diana, the chaste huntress.
However, different people interpret some symbols differently. Although this portrait is usually accepted as immortalizing the power and greatness of the queen, it has also been suggested that it is in fact a celebration of the success of the British intelligence service at the time and that the eyes and ears on her robe refer to the highly effective spy network the queen had established throughout Europe.
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