Queen Elizabeth
1598
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Renold Elstrack
Renold Elstrack (1570–1625) was an artist, born in London.
See the richer artist page1598
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Queen Elizabeth is a 1598 ink by Renold Elstrack, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a woman with a serious expression, wearing a large pearl necklace and a fancy ruff collar. Her hair is styled high and decorated with curls. Around her head is a banner with Latin words, and there are two crests—one on each side—with symbols like a lion and a unicorn. The background has a crown and some small figures, but the focus is on her face and the detailed clothing. The text below calls her "Queen of England, France, and Ireland," which fits the grand style of the portrait. The artist used fine lines to create shadows and texture, making the pearls and ruff look almost three-dimensional. Try looking up engraving to see how artists use lines to build up detail like this.
Renold Elstrack (1570–1625) was an artist, born in London.
See the richer artist page
