QUEEN ELIZABETH THE FIRST AMARDA PORTRAIT (c. 1588)
One of at least three versions of The Armada Portrait
(c. 1588) by an unknown artist. Symbolism is rife in this famous
image of Queen Elizabeth I, called The Armada Portrait
as it was painted to celebrate England's victory over the Spanish
Armada in 1588 - as evidenced by the scenes of sea battle
seen through the windows behind her. Pearls - the symbols of purity
- decorate Queen Elizabeth I's head and gown. Next to her
right arm is the imperial crown, and her right hand rests
upon a globe of the earth, with her fingers specifically resting
upon the Americas - which had come under British rule
only a few short years earlier.
This is a cropped version of the original portrait,
made available here on a wide rangeof t-shirts,
greeting cards, posters, prints, mugs
and gifts.
Any
portraits or engravings used in designs for these products have
either been scanned from 19th Century or early 20th Century books
on the subject or photographed from the original images by Sally
McLean or photographers acting on her behalf. The images have
then been digitally cleaned up, restored and formatted for use.
