Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) (after Marcus Geeraerts, the younger)
Henry Bone, RA (Truro 1755 – Somers Town, London 1834)
Category
Art / Miniatures
Date
1823
Materials
Enamel
Measurements
345 mm (H)230 mm (W)
Order this imageCollection
Kingston Lacy Estate, Dorset
NT 1250532
Summary
Enamel portrait miniature, Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) (after Marcus Geeraerts, the younger) by Henry Bone, RA (Truro 1755 – Somers Town, London 1834). 1823. Whole-length portrait, standing slightly to the left; in her right hand she holds a folding fan secured by a scarlet ribbon to her waist; in her left hand she holds brown leather gloves, her fair hair is adorned with pearls and other jewels and is surmounted by a crown; she wears a white lace ruff open at the front with red roses ; a white dress over a farthingale with false hanging sleeves; the dress is adorned with a diaper work of puffs of white gauze secured by jewels in gold mounts; white shoes; around her neck a necklace with a large pendant jewel and ropes of pearls fall to her waist; a gauze veil with wings covered with jewelled pendants frames the head; she is standing on a map of England; in the background to the left there is a blue sky with clouds parting to reveal sunshine; to the right the sky is black and stormy with lightening. After the Ditchley portrait. The ‘Ditchley’ portrait was traditionally painted to commemorate the visit of the Queen to Sir Henry Lee, her Champion at the Tilt, in September 1592. The Queen’s feet rest on Oxfordshire near Ditchley, where, on the occasion of the visit, Lee staged a famous entertainment. The map is based on that published by Saxton in 1583. The original painting is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.
Provenance
The Bone-enamels at Kingston Lacy, copied from paintings in well-known houses, were mostly acquired by William Bankes at auction in 1836, from a set of 85 which had been unsuccessfully offered to the nation for £4000 by the elder Bone. William gave the bulk of them to his brother the Rev Edward Bankes. After William's flight abroad in 1841, Edward returned them to Kingston Lacy.
Marks and inscriptions
QUEEN ELIZABETH / (After Zucchere) / 10 (painted in black on fixed gilt label, centred under image)
Makers and roles
Henry Bone, RA (Truro 1755 – Somers Town, London 1834), artist after Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger (Bruges 1561/2 - London 1636), artist