Symbolism in Portraiture - The Pelican Portrait

Nicholas Hilliard. (2008). The Pelican Portrait . Available: http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/elizface2.htm. Last accessed 8th Oct 2013.

Above is the famous Pelican portrait painted by Nicholas Hilliard in around 1574/1576. It is speculated that Queen Elizabeth was in her forties when this was painted. 

There is much symbolism in this portrait: 

THE TWO IMPERIAL CROWNS

A crown is propped on top of the Tudor rose, this symbolises Queen Elizabeth's claim to England. 











On the top right hand side of the portrait there is another crown, however, his time it is propped on top of the 'Fleur de Lys' , this ultimately symbolises Elizabeths claim to france. 







PEARLS


Elizabeth is adorned with jewels in this portrait, especially pearls. the pearls signify Elizabeth's purity, innocence and virginity. 

TUDOR ROSE













Apart from the tudor rose which is prominent at the top left hand corner of the portrait, if you look closely, the tudor rose is actually embroidered onto Elizabeth's dress. Although, Elizabeth has been on the throne for quite a long time by the time this portrait was painted, the tudor roses reaffirm her Tudor roots and her right to the English throne.

PELICAN

The pelican is probably what I consider the most important aspect of this portrait. 

According to legend, a female pelican would pluck her own breast in order to feed her dying young with her own blood. 

As Elizabeth is wearing a pelican pendant on her beast, this symbolises and signifies her undying and selfless love for her county and her people. She radiates motherly love. 

In the middle ages, the pelican was also a symbol of Jesus's crucifixion, the ultimate sacrifice, and of the Eucharist, the feeding of his followers with his own flesh and blood. This makes sense as Queen Elizabeth was often seen as the divine, second to God. 

COLOURS

Here, Elizabeth is dresses in red, black, white and gold. These colours spoke of her wealth and status. Red frabic was dyed with cochineal, a dye which was extremely expensive and restricted to the upper class, Black fabric was also notoriously expensive. I feel that the colours gold and red alone show immense power and wealth.