Marcus Gheeraerts's 'The Portrait Of Queen Elizabeth I'
The portrait of Queen Elizabeth I painted by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger around 1592, often called “The Ditchley Portrait,” is filled to the brim with representations of Queen Elizabeth and her ability to rule England with a firm but forgiving hand. Though it may seem at first to be an uneventful scene, it is possible to uncover a new symbol or layer of meaning with each examination. In the painting, Queen Elizabeth stands atop the country of England, a pair of gloves in one hand and a fan in the other. The hem of her bejeweled white gown spans the entire landmass. Behind her, the sky is divided into a stormy half and a calm half, which meet behind her head. Additionally, one of the most interesting things about this portrait is that it
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According to the description on the National Portrait Gallery page for the portrait, it was commissioned by Sir Henry Lee for some kind of event he had thrown on the grounds of his estate, honoring Queen Elizabeth I and asking for her forgiveness, as he had chosen to live openly with his mistress, thus earning the queen’s ire. This opens up an entirely new realm of possibilities for interpretation, as the piece is rife with messages, both in image and text, that attest to the queen’s capacity to forgive. The three phrases in Latin present in the image, for example, translate to “She gives and does not expect” (on the left), “She can but does not take revenge” (right), and, on the bottom right, what may read as “In giving back she increases,” though the last one may not be entirely accurate, as the original portrait has been trimmed. The subject of the sonnet on the right edge of the canvas is the sun, a symbol of the monarch, which is another attempt on Lee’s part to honor the glory of Queen Elizabeth I. The description page for the portrait also suggests that the stormy and calm skies meeting behind Elizabeth’s head is also a symbol of her capacity for forgiveness, though it could also be a testament to her leadership during both troubled times and more prosperous
According to the description on the National Portrait Gallery page for the portrait, it was commissioned by Sir Henry Lee for some kind of event he had thrown on the grounds of his estate, honoring Queen Elizabeth I and asking for her forgiveness, as he had chosen to live openly with his mistress, thus earning the queen’s ire. This opens up an entirely new realm of possibilities for interpretation, as the piece is rife with messages, both in image and text, that attest to the queen’s capacity to forgive. The three phrases in Latin present in the image, for example, translate to “She gives and does not expect” (on the left), “She can but does not take revenge” (right), and, on the bottom right, what may read as “In giving back she increases,” though the last one may not be entirely accurate, as the original portrait has been trimmed. The subject of the sonnet on the right edge of the canvas is the sun, a symbol of the monarch, which is another attempt on Lee’s part to honor the glory of Queen Elizabeth I. The description page for the portrait also suggests that the stormy and calm skies meeting behind Elizabeth’s head is also a symbol of her capacity for forgiveness, though it could also be a testament to her leadership during both troubled times and more prosperous