Elizabeth I
- George Gower, 1540-1596
George Gower, Elizabeth I, About 1570. Oil paint on panel; 20 1/4 × 16 1/2 in. (51.4 × 41.9 cm). Gift of the Berger Collection Educational Trust, 2021.21
Elizabeth I (1533-1603) was the daughter of Henry VIII by his second wife, Anne Boleyn. She was crowned queen in 1558 upon the death of her half-sister, Mary, and reigned nearly forty-five years. This is one of the first likenesses of Elizabeth to portray her as she actually looked. It was painted when the queen was thirty-seven and had just been excommunicated by the Pope. Her sober black velvet dress, so unlike the lavish gowns she wears in portraits of the later 1570s and 1580s, seems to match her austere demeanor. George Gower was named Serjeant Painter to the queen in 1581.
- “Treasures from the Berger Collection: British Paintings 1400-2000” — Denver Art Museum, 10/2/2014 – 9/9/2018
Some images in our online collection are at thumbnail size, in accordance with AAMD guidelines, because they are protected by copyright. The Denver Art Museum respects the rights of artists or their representatives who retain the copyright to their work. Other images represent the best photography available and should be used as reference images only. Please complete the Image Rights Request form if you want to request a high resolution image.