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This remarkable portrait is one of the most significant surviving images of Elizabeth and is often referred to as the ‘Darnley portrait’ after its previous owner. It is, however, not the first portrait of the queen to have been painted. Dendrochronology and x-radiography show that it was painted over the top of an earlier portrait from the early seventeenth century. The original portrait shows a slightly older version of the queen’s face and her hair has been altered to bring it more in line with eighteenth-century standards of beauty. Moreover, the serpent that appears in her hand has been removed, probably because of its biblical association with sin and temptation.
Queens alteration
During her reign, Elizabeth’s image was carefully engineered to convey power and wealth both at home and abroad. She was aware of how her actions and image formed her identity and became a symbol for England. Consequently, she maintained an extensive wardrobe and demanded that her courtiers display an equally luxurious sense of style.
The sheer expense of Elizabeth’s wardrobe meant that very few garments survived her death, although detailed accounts of her dress purchases and suppliers were kept. It was also common practice for gowns to be recycled and reused, or altered with new sleeves, collars and bodices to update them. The culture of gift giving also helped to offset the cost of maintaining a royal wardrobe, and many of the dresses were given away or used as payment for those working in the service of the queen.
Analysis has shown that the colours in this portrait have changed significantly over time. The queen’s extremely pale complexion would originally have been rosier, while the reds in her hair are much less evident than they were when the picture was painted. The picture was also originally coloured with a copper green pigment rather than the blue that is now apparent.
It was a custom for courtiers and members of the nobility to give gifts at New Year; it is possible that the Earl of Leicester gave this fan to the queen at around this time. It is interesting that the serpent has been removed from this version of the portrait, as snakes have sometimes been used to signify wisdom, prudence and reasoned judgement, all of which are characteristic qualities of the queen’s character. However, it is also possible that the removal of the serpent was a deliberate change to align the picture with Christian beliefs about sin and temptation.
