If you look carefully at the Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603), you will see that she has adorned herself with, besides an estimated number of over 800 pearls, a great number of diamonds as well. Every single sun embroidered on her dress has a diamond in its center. Every second pink bow on the arms, chest and the belt-like structure also contain a diamond in the middle (the alternate bow incorporates almost certainly a ruby). Likewise, the crown by her right arm is adorned with diamonds on the band, next to other precious stones. The Armada Portrait was painted in celebration of the English having defeated the Spanish Armada for the first time in battle, before this date in history (1588) the Armada was considered invincible at sea. This must be considered one of the most fascinating portraits of a member of the British royal family. There is such a myriad of symbols in this single painting to make any art critic’s head spin. See if you can detect a few.
Let’s start with the diamonds themselves. Placing them at the center of the sun is not coincidental. It seems to imply that these are the most brilliant of all gemstones, the only material which can compete with the brightness of the sun. As much as the incredible number of pearls symbolize virginity (Elizabeth I never married in her 45-year reign and is known as the Virgin Queen), the diamonds signify her illuminating reign as well as wealth and power, the sun representing her reign as being as certain as a new sunrise every day. Elizabeth I also appears to be wearing a larger diamond on her head, just below a large pearl. All the different precious stones on her person and the royal crown must have come from the furthest regions of the world, again an indication of her far-reaching power and wealth.
Ruling the seas meant ruling the world in those days and having defeated the Spanish Armada was an accomplishment which placed England among the greatest conquerors of the known world. The naval battle can clearly be seen in the background, with the victorious English ships to the left and the crushed Spanish to the right, behind the Queen. The Americas had been divided between Portugal and Spain by Pope Alexander VI, but Elizabeth was able to challenge this by first defeating the Armada on the their own territory (the sea) and then sending the first ships to America (among which the Mayflower) with the pilgrims which would eventually establish a colony in what is now Massachusetts. Elizabeth has her right hand on a globe, a clear gesture of power, and appears to be pointing at Virginia, which was another destination for the pilgrims sailing for America, and was named after her.
There are three versions of the Armada Portrait, of which the one shown above is by far the most beautiful and complete. This version is displayed in the Queen’s House of the Royal Museums Greenwich, in south-east London.
Links to more knowledge
Portrait of Elizabeth I in the Queen’s House, Royal Museum Greenwich
Books of interest
A guide to Tudor and Jacobean portraits. (Cooper, Tarnya. 2008, National Portrait Gallery, London)