Throughout Queen Elizabeth I’s rule, several artists painted portraits of her majesty. These paintings use symbolism to highlight several memorable facts and character traits about the queen. The Rainbow Portrait, which was created by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger between 1600 and 1602, is perhaps one of the most famous symbolic portraits of Elizabeth. Painted towards the last years of the queen’s rule, this portrait serves to symbolize her eternal youth.
While her reasoning for choosing these characteristics in her self portrayal can certainly be attributed to her desire to be perceived as a timeless ruler in addition to her fear of death, some researchers argue that this even stemmed from her desire to be perceived as a capable ruler even in her old age, despite her gender. According to Susan Frye “her represented denial of old age was an assertion of her political viability, an attempt to transcend her society’s tendency to disparage and ignore any woman past childbearing age” (Frye 100-101). In other words, Elizabeth chose this perception …show more content…
After intensely analyzing the material, the viewer can see that it is a series of eyes and ears. The specific symbolism of this artistic choice is highly debated among scholars. Those who view this as a religious allusion argue that it is a direct reference to Matthew 13:16-17 which states “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears, for they hear” (Graziani 265). Specifically, scholars such as Rene Grazini suggest that this cloak serves as a blessing covering her as she leads her country: seeing and listening to all people. Therefore, this interpretation shows Queen Elizabeth I to be a faithful Christian leader with whom God is please. While other scholars do not necessarily dismiss these theories entirely, they argue that they primarily serve as political symbolism (Fischlin 182). This state of all knowing emphasizes her power and capability as a
While her reasoning for choosing these characteristics in her self portrayal can certainly be attributed to her desire to be perceived as a timeless ruler in addition to her fear of death, some researchers argue that this even stemmed from her desire to be perceived as a capable ruler even in her old age, despite her gender. According to Susan Frye “her represented denial of old age was an assertion of her political viability, an attempt to transcend her society’s tendency to disparage and ignore any woman past childbearing age” (Frye 100-101). In other words, Elizabeth chose this perception …show more content…
After intensely analyzing the material, the viewer can see that it is a series of eyes and ears. The specific symbolism of this artistic choice is highly debated among scholars. Those who view this as a religious allusion argue that it is a direct reference to Matthew 13:16-17 which states “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears, for they hear” (Graziani 265). Specifically, scholars such as Rene Grazini suggest that this cloak serves as a blessing covering her as she leads her country: seeing and listening to all people. Therefore, this interpretation shows Queen Elizabeth I to be a faithful Christian leader with whom God is please. While other scholars do not necessarily dismiss these theories entirely, they argue that they primarily serve as political symbolism (Fischlin 182). This state of all knowing emphasizes her power and capability as a