Gower- armada portrait Flashcards
date
1588
symbols
pearls: purity and divinity
mermaid: command of the seas, feminine allure
fan: desirability
bows: largest pearl in painting positioned with bow over genital area sisplaying virginity and adding status to it
celestial sun imagrey and moons: power and enlightenment, control of the weather as she faces the sun
globe: foreign powers
pearl symbol
pearls: purity and divinity
It is significant that the largest pearl in the painting is positioned with a bow over her genital area. Showed elizabeth as the virgin queen, increasing her desireabbility to courtiers as she based child-bearing age
memrmaid symbol
mermaid: command of the seas, feminine allure, marinetime power
was carved on the chair
fan symbol
fan: desirability
bow symbol
bows: largest pearl in painting positioned with bow over genital area sisplaying virginity and adding status to it
globe symbol
globe: foreign powers
crown symbol
As such it was a powerful symbol of Elizabeth’s links to Henry VII and VIII and her status on the international stage.
celestial sun and moon symbols
celestial sun imagrey and moons: power and enlightenment, control of the weather as she faces the sun
how is this not an accurate representation of her beauty
had smallpox scarring, skins texture concealed (idealisation of queens beauty)
what was the function of the portrait
provided for her courtiers to show her power and beauty
often shown to citizens to portray her status
what does it suggest about the battle with the spanish armada
shows defeat of spanish armarda against Philip II
When was englands first colony in america established
4 years after this painting, virginia, shows desire for empire and illusion to power was true
1584
positioning and treatment of the figure
dress embroided with ribbons, pearls, and suns
pearls in her hair
elaborate chair suggesting status
3/4 view suggesting status
right hand on globe (visual representation of her post armada speech of power)
right hand on globe significance
right hand on globe (visual representation of her post armada speech of power)
with her fingers crossed over the New World, symbolic of her desire for an empire (this is the age of Sir Walter Raleigh’s exploration and initial colonisation in the New World).
globe- desire for empire, international power, age of exploration
who was colonising the new world at this time
Walter Raleigh
where is the imperial crown positioned
an imperial crown is placed beside her on a table.
what does her other hand hold
exotic feathers
how is her desireability increased by image of fan
possible gift from courtier
what does the crown represent
status and imperial ambition
how many versions
3 versions, 1 in national gallery stripped on both sides
and one, at Woburn Abbey, showing the full portrait without later overpainting
*All three are thought to come from the workshop of George Gower, the queen’s Sergeant-Painter
who was possibly the patron
Sir francis drake
who are the current owners
the tyrwhitt drake family
how is purity represented in her identity
-pearls signify purity and virginity
-was protestant
-moons and pearls together reference Cynthia, a goddess of the moon who is praised for her virginal purity
-was beyond child bearing age and known as the virgin queen making her seem goddess like and divine
-purity makes her more desireable to attract a political marriage
what does moons and pearls together represent
-moons and pearls together reference Cynthia, a goddess of the moon who is praised for her virginal purity
how is beauty represented as part of her identity
idealised and feminine
mermaid, feminine allure
how is power represented as part of her identity
globe
mermaid representing command of the seas
medium
oil on panel
date
1588
who was this by
Unknown English artist (by or after George Gower)
scale
1125 x 1270 mm
where is it now
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
at what point of her reign was this
commemorates the high point of her reign - the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
when did elizabeth reign
1558-1603
what view is she positioned in
3/4
what does she sit on
an elaborate chair that connotes status
*The chair in the portrait looks peculiar, being shown from two different perspectives at the same time. The chair back is shown face on, but the arm of the chair is shown from the side. The chair is carved with a mermaid or siren, creatures who lure sailors to their doom. Mermaids were a symbol of feminine wiles, as well as - as we see here - of maritime power.
what is her dress embroidered with and what does she wear
DRESS
The Queen’s dress is embroidered with images of suns and decorated with dozens of pearls, bows, and other precious jewels
CLOTHES
-She wears a large, elaborate lace ruff which frames her face and hair, piled up on her head, is also decorated with pearls
-She wears several strings of pearls around her neck.
what is depicted either side of Elizabeth
*The Armada is depicted in the two scenes on either side of Elizabeth’s head, separated by a green curtain
LEFT
-In the scene on the left the Armada arrives and the English ships can be seen outnumbered in the distance.
RIGHT
-On the right, a storm is shown raging while final traces of the Spanish masts sink beneath the churning, slate grey waves.
expression
*Elizabeth stares out at the viewer; her expression is fixed and strong - lips pursed.
Her face is made up with lead white makeup and her lips are rosey red.
historical background of tensions between england and spain at the time
*As a Protestant, unmarried, female monarch, Elizabeth’s position was at times precarious. Her reign was blighted by plots and attempts to overthrow her.
*One such plot involved Mary Queen of Scots, her Catholic Cousin, and was supported by King Philip II of Spain (the widower of Elizabeth’s catholic half-sister, Mary I). Mary Queen of Scots was captured, imprisoned and eventually executed in 1587.
*To retaliate against Philip II of Spain, Elizabeth supported the Dutch Revolt against Spain and also funded privateers (pirates) to raid their galleys in the Atlantic.
*To retaliate against this Philip II of Spain planned an expedition to invade England, overthrow Elizabeth and re-instate Catholicism.
when did the armarda try and invade AND what happened during the battle
the fleet of 150 ships which Philip deployed to invade England in 1588.
The battle was in fact a series of sea-skirmishes which took place in July 1588 between Spanish ships and English ships commanded by Francis Drake and helped by their Dutch allies.
Here, the Armada were attacked by English and Dutch ships at the Battle of Gravelines (a small port close to France)
who cultivated the image of elizabeth as Cynthia
Walter Raleigh cultivated the image of Elizabeth as ‘Cynthia, Goddess of the moon’, with his poem ‘The Ocean’s Love to Cynthia’ in which he compared Elizabeth to the moon.
how is she shown as feminine and beautiful
-pearls and bows
-idealisation of her skin and beauty
-mermaid: female allure
-her extremely corseted waist and delicate wrists and hand show her as feminine and beautiful
combination of masculine and feminine features
masculine features: The yards of fabric used for Elizabeth’s fine dress add mass to her shoulders, arms and body. This allows her to compete in scale with portraits of male rulers such as her father Henry VIII.
This combination of masculine and feminine qualities is carefully tailored to present an ideal image of the Queen and can be seen to illustrate the statement from her Armada speech: “I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King, and a King of England too’.
quote from armarda speech
“I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King, and a King of England too’.
why is the choice of where to exhibit this peice prominent
*The acquisition of this painting for a Public Greenwich collection was important firstly because Elizabeth was born in Greenwich Palace (built by her Grandfather Henry VII) and was therefore a ‘Greenwich Queen’.
effect of use of oil
allowed for intricacy and detail: The medium allows the artist to pay particular attention to details which enhance the queen’s regality or have a symbolic meaning, such as the myriad of pearls which glisten on her dress and body, and the glittering jewels on the Tudor crown.
links to the renaissance and humanist climate of realism
