Mary, Queen of Scots

Sitterback to top

• Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587), Reigned 1542-67. Sitter associated with 143 portraits.

Artistback to top

• Unknown artist. Artist associated with 6233 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots has recently been rediscovered as an image painted within her lifetime or very shortly after her death. The painting had long been considered to date from the eighteenth century, but recent tree ring analysis (known as dendrochronology) has established that the panel was felled in the sixteenth century. The work can now be dated to 1560 -1592. Recent conservation work has also revealed an original oval background with a marbling effect, which had previously been overpainted with dark brown paint.

Linked publicationsback to top

• Cooper, Tarnya (introduction) Banville, John (character sketch) Chevalier, Tracy (character sketch) Fellowes, Julian (character sketch) McCall Smith, Alexander (character sketch) Pratchett, Terry (character sketch) Singleton, Sarah (character sketch) Trollope, Joanna (character sketch) Waters, Minette (character sketch), Imagined Lives: Portraits of Unknown People, 2011 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from December 2011 - June 2012), p. 84
• Gittings, Clare, The National Portrait Gallery Book of The Tudors, 2006, p. 21
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 416
• Strong, Roy, Tudor and Jacobean Portraits, 1969, p. 214

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• Mary, Queen of Scots (16 August 2006 - 16 September 2008)

Portrait setsback to top

• Miniatures: Highlights
• Navana Vandyk

Subjects & Themesback to top

• Hats and head-attire
• Jewellery
• Portraits with Archive documents