Plimpton Sieve Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I

In the picture, we can see a woman with gorgeous accessories that express her authority and wealth. She is Queen Elizabeth the First who led the England to heyday. Many people drew portraits of the Queen, but the portrait George Gower painted was very meaningful.

First of all, I think the subject is status. George Gower’s usage of the clothing of the Queen Elizabeth and accessories reveals the theme that the woman has an opportunity to have high-ranking and high-status people embellish themselves with clothes and luxuries; and through them showed their strength and wealth to others. The reasons why I think so is because Elizabeth I is holding a sieve which represents her self-identification as the “Virgin Queen”. I think that the author is trying to emphasize the idea that the woman can rise to a high position regardless of gender. From these I can know that there was less gender discrimination at that time for people of status.

She wears fancy clothes and lots of jewels that imply her wealth and fame. These kinds of displays of wealth and power were not available to the general public and was even envied by the richest of her court. Just having a painting of herself was a statement to her power and wealth. Portraits were very hard to come by due to the skill and time required. These days, the rich dress themselves up using luxury goods, and they also buy the most expensive homes, cars, and decorations. This not only represents their property but also their social honor. It can be said that the past and present have that in common.

Another subject of the painting is authority. The author uses a globe located on the left side of the picture to show the theme that England was a global power with control over all the nations. The globe, which displays South America and the northwestern portion of Africa, references the exploration undertaken by England in the sixteenth century. Although the painter doesn’t express directly, I can infer that the England was the most powerful country in Europe at that time. In addition, strong sovereignty is the same as strong royal power. Elizabeth I, then the queen, kept England safe from all the coveting countries, and both the monarchy and sovereignty held the most influence.

In conclusion, anyone who sees this picture can know that Queen Elizabeth is very powerful and authoritative. The artist put elements of wealth and power into the painting and described the British conquest of the world. He also used contrasting colors to make the Queen more visible and to immortalize her current appearance. Through these factors, the artist can show the reader what the Queen's power and wealth was like at the time.

CITATION

“Plimpton Sieve Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Jan. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plimpton_Sieve_Portrait_of_Queen_Elizabeth_I