1. Getting to know Queen Elizabeth I

2. Portrait of Elizabeth at her coronation in 1558 Look at this portrait of Elizabeth I. It was painted to celebrate the crowning of Elizabeth I in 1558. Coronation = the crowning of a King or Queen TASK Copy down the title of the portrait. Make a list of words to describe Elizabeth as she is shown here.

3. A portrait of Elizabeth painted in 1585. TASK Copy down the title of the painting. With a partner see if you can work out what the symbols are. What do you think the symbols mean. An olive branch symbolises peace. The small animal with the crown is an ermine. It symbolises royalty and purity. The sword symbolises justice. TASK Write down what the symbols mean. Why would Elizabeth want a portrait like this painted? How would this portrait make Elizabeth feel? Look at this portrait of Elizabeth I. It was painted in 1585 when Elizabeth had been Queen for 27 years. There are several items (symbols) in the picture that have special meanings. These symbols are hard for us to understand but the Tudors would have understood them very well.

4. So paintings of Elizabeth can be hard to understand and were used by the Queen to give a message to the people she ruled (her subjects). But can we be sure that what we are looking at is the truth? Are the paintings accurate?

5. Elizabeth was born in 1533. You are about to see two more portraits of Elizabeth – look carefully at both. In particular try to remember when the paintings were painted and what the Queen looks like in each.

6. The Ditchley portrait 1592

7. The Rainbow portrait 1600

8. Portrait of Elizabeth at her coronation in 1558 The Rainbow portrait 1600 TASK Try to work out how old Elizabeth would have been in these two paintings. Remember she was born in 1533. Copy out and complete these sentences in your exercise book: In the Coronation portrait I think Elizabeth would have been …… years old. In the Rainbow portrait I think Elizabeth would have been …. years old. TASK What are the similarities between the two portraits? Use your copy of this chart to record your observations:Coronation Portrait 1558 Rainbow Portrait 1600 What is Elizabeth wearing? What does she look like as a person? How old does she look? Is she holding anything?

9. TASK You may have been surprised that Elizabeth does not seem to have changed that much in the 42 years between the portraits. Read the following source and with a partner see if you can think of some reasons why Elizabeth has not changed much in her portraits. No painter shall draw Her Majestys portrait until a good painter has painted her looking natural and attractive. After this all other painters will copy the same pattern in their portraits. Orders given in 1563 by William Cecil, Elizabeths Chief Minister