Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603), Reigned 1558-1603
Sitter associated with 125 portraits
The daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth came to the throne on the death of her half-sister, Mary I. Her long reign, beginning in 1558, saw the secure establishment of the Church of England. It was characterised by relative peace and prosperity, a great increase in foreign trade and exploration, and a flourishing literary culture. Despite receiving many proposals of marriage, Elizabeth remained single and became legendary as the 'virgin queen'. She had many favourites, but none more important than Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, who sought to win her hand in marriage.
by Unknown English artist
oil on panel, circa 1560
NPG 4449
by Steven van Herwijck
lead medal, 1565
NPG 4294
by Unknown artist
electrotype of a so-called pattern for a sovereign, 19th century (late 16th century)
NPG 446
by Nicholas Hilliard
watercolour on vellum, 1572
NPG 108
by Unknown Netherlandish artist
oil on panel, circa 1575
On display in Room 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 2082
by Unknown artist
oil on panel, 1580s-1590s
On display at Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire
NPG 200
by Unknown artist
oil on panel, circa 1585-1590
NPG 2471
by Unknown English artist
oil on panel, circa 1588
NPG 541
Queen Elizabeth I ('Elizabeth I and the Three Goddesses')
- Larger Image
- Buy a print
- Use this image
- Recent acquisition
attributed to Isaac Oliver
watercolour and bodycolour on vellum, circa 1590
NPG 6947
Queen Elizabeth I ('The Ditchley portrait')
by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger
oil on canvas, circa 1592
On display in Room 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 2561
Unknown woman, possibly Queen Elizabeth I
by Unknown artist
pencil and watercolour, circa 1595
NPG 2825
by Unknown English artist
oil on panel, circa 1600
On display in Room 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 5175
by Unknown artist
oil on panel, early 17th century with 18th century overpainting
NPG 542
by Elkington & Co, cast by Domenico Brucciani, after Maximilian Colte
electrotype, 1873 (circa 1605-1607)
NPG 357
by Unknown artist
marble bust, late 18th century or 19th century
On display at Kenilworth Castle, London
NPG 5474
'The Kings and Queens of England: From the Conquest to Queen Victoria'
by Henry Hering
albumen carte-de-visite photomontage, 1862
NPG Ax131392
by Thomas Gemini
line engraving, mid 16th century
NPG D25026
by Crispijn de Passe the Elder, after Isaac Oliver
line engraving, probably late 16th to early 17th century
NPG D25180
Procession of the Knights of the Garter (sheet 1)
after Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder
photograph of engraving, (1576)
NPG D31853
Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, Chingford, London
Category
Royalty, Rulers and Aristocracy
Groups
Monarchs
Places
London
Surrey
Exhibitions and displays
- Elizabeth I & Her People
From 10 October - Queens and Consorts: Likeness in Life and Death
From 12 June
Related pages
- WebQuest: Famous People Guy Fawkes
- WebQuest: Elizabeth I's New Portrait
- WebQuest: Painting Elizabeth I
- WebQuest: Henry VIII's Next Wife?
- Concealed and Revealed:
The Changing Faces of Elizabeth I - My Favourite Portrait by Fiona Shaw
- My Favourite Portrait by P.D. James
- Concealed and Revealed: The Changing Faces of Elizabeth I
- Hidden: Unseen Paintings Beneath Tudor Portraits
- Highlights from the survey
- The Tudors
- WebQuest: History of Hair and Beauty
- Exploring Elizabeth I
- Shakespeare quiz
- Teachers' notes
- WebQuest: Portrait Prize
- WebQuest: Beyond Portraits
- Imagined Lives: portraits of unknown people
Thematic collections
- Photomontage
- Photo collage
- Miniatures
- Portraits featuring - Necklace
- Portraits featuring - Brooch
- Flowers and plants
- Fans
- Top selling prints
- Top 50 paintings as Portrait Prints
- Top 50 paintings as Portrait Prints
- Top 50 Portrait Prints
- Audio Guide: Tudor and Elizabethan portraits
- Maps and globes
- Portraits featuring - Earring
- Portraits featuring - Ring
- Effigies
- Medals and medallions
- Jewellery
- Crowns and tiaras
- Portraits featuring - Chain
Related shop items
- Insights: Shakespeare and His Contemporaries (hardcover)
- A Guide to Tudor & Jacobean Portraits (paperback)
- A Guide to the National Portrait Gallery (paperback)
- Colour-in Postcards: Elizabeth I
- The Elizabethans postcard pack
- Royal Lineage poster
- The Rulers Ruler
- Elizabeth I "Quote" fitted T-Shirt
- Elizabeth I "Quote" fitted T-Shirt
- Elizabeth I "Quote" fitted T-Shirt
- Elizabeth I "Quote" fitted T-Shirt
- Elizabeth I "Quote" fitted T-Shirt
- Famous Faces playing cards






















