Analysing Elizabethan Portraiture

Recently, we have been looking into the history of Elizabethan make-up with the techniques they used and the trends they followed. Some of which are completely bizarre!

The idea of beauty during this period was based upon ‘The Virgin Queen’, Elizabeth I. The fashion was to have fair hair, pale complexion and red lips. This look was used to portray wealth, power and status, but at the same time delicasy, purity and virginity.

Women who wore make up were often accused of being whores as their make up was accused of hiding their natural beauty and tricking men into falling in love with them. The cosmetics hid blushing so men could not read his effect upon the lady.

Further into the project we have studied symbolism in portraits. Below is an image which i researched into and considered the symbolic meaning displayed.

Typically Elizabethan make-up and hair:

·      Porcelain skin – used ceruse to achieve look. A pale complexion was an upper-class achievement. Gave Elizabeth’s image as the virgin and eternally young queen as this make up was used to hide aging.

·      Fair, curly hair – women dedicated hours to bleaching and dying their hair. For the extremely wealthy, cutting their hair and purchasing elaborate wigs to closely mimic their wigged monarch.

·      Jewels in hair – head pieces and jewels signified vast wealth as only rich people could afford the costly accessories.

·      Rogue cheeks – to avoid the white looking too ghostly.

·      Red lips – emphasised the pale skin.

·      Thin brows – create the effect of a fashionably large forehead.

·      Eyes – Belladonna was used to make them look larger and sparkly.

Pearls:

·      Resemblance of the moon. Used to present Elizabeth as the goddess of the Moon, Cynthia, who was a virgin and therefore pure.

·      Symbolise wealth and power.

·      Represent chastity, purity.

Colours:

·      Black and white clothing suggests that this woman is of highest nobility.

·      The background material colour is red, symbolising wealth and status.

The lace embroidery suggests that this woman belonged to the higher strata of society.

Ruffled collar was very fashionable and dictated the fashion of short hair.

The parrot may symbolise eloquence, suggesting the woman was a good talker. It could also suggest status.