The studios of Tudor artists produced images of Elizabeth working from approved "face patterns", or approved drawings of the queen, to meet this growing demand for her image, an important symbol of loyalty and reverence for the crown in times of turbulence. Courtiers commissioned heavily symbolic paintings to demonstrate their devotion to the queen, and the fashionable long galleries of later Elizabethan country houses were filled with sets of portraits. Portraits were commissioned by the government as gifts to foreign monarchs and to show to prospective suitors. Įlizabeth sat for a number of artists over the years, including Hilliard, Cornelis Ketel, Federico Zuccaro or Zuccari, Isaac Oliver, and most likely to Gower and Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger. George Gower, a fashionable court portraitist created Serjeant Painter in 1581, was responsible for approving all portraits of the queen created by other artists from 1581 until his death in 1596. Unlike her contemporaries in France, Elizabeth never granted rights to produce her portrait to a single artist, although Nicholas Hilliard was appointed her official limner, or miniaturist and goldsmith. Panel paintings in oils on prepared wood surfaces were based on preparatory drawings and were usually executed at life size, as were oil paintings on canvas. These small personal images were almost invariably painted from life over the space of a few days in watercolours on vellum, stiffened by being glued to a playing card. The portrait miniature developed from the illuminated manuscript tradition. This required painting on a tiny scale and concentration on flat, decorative effects - strong three-dimensional effects created by the use of shadows were not necessary in the small-scale medium of miniature, and would have disturbed the overall decorative effect.Two portraiture traditions had arisen in the Tudor court since the days of Elizabeth's father, Henry VIII. In working in this way, Hilliard was following the native English tradition of painting which was based around the art of the miniaturist or "limner". The background is plain blue with a shadow cast behind the queen to give some suggestion of solidity. It appears flat with the emphasis on decorative effect in the use of pattern, colour and elegant line. Although at this time, many continental Renaissance painters were trying to depict figures and space with precise realism, this painting shows little interest in the rendering of three-dimensional space. This suggests that Hilliard or one of his more senior assistants did most of the work on this painting and another follower or assistant executed the 'Phoenix Portrait' to his master's design. Differences in the style of the costume indicate a later date of 1575/76 for the Phoenix Portrait. The quality of painting in the 'Pelican Portrait' is better than the Phoenix, particularly in the handling of the hair and lace, and in the indication of space. However the pictures appear to have been painted by different artists. This proves that the same pattern or cartoon has been used for both pictures and turned round. This is virtually the same size and composition as the portrait you see here but is in reverse. There is another portrait of Elizabeth, now in the National Portrait Gallery, which is called 'The Phoenix Portrait'. This picture may contain some work done by a member of Hilliard workshop. Hilliard is known to have painted large oil portraits of the Queen. The picture is very similar in style to a miniature by Nicholas Hilliard dated 1572 which is now in the National Portrait Gallery. Additional artwork information: This picture was painted about 1574, when Elizabeth was aged about 41, and is known as the 'Pelican Portrait' because of the brooch Elizabeth wears at her breast.Besides miniatures he is recorded as having painted a number of full-length portraits of Elizabeth. Artist biographical information: Nicholas Hilliard trained as a goldsmith, but by the 1570s he had become the most important painter of portrait miniatures in London, and the Queen’s principal artist.However, there is no firm evidence to confirm this. According to Howard family tradition, the picture was given to them by Queen Elizabeth. Previously it belonged to the Earls of Suffolk - a branch of the Howard family. Artwork History: This portrait was given to the Walker Art Gallery in 1945.Physical Dimensions: w610 x h787 cm (Without frame).tag / style: Nicholas Hilliard Portraiture Elizabethan Tudor Elizabeth I queen jewellery pelican embroidery fleur de lis rose wealth royalty bodice woman Pelican Portrait pendant.