Elizabeth+I+Art+Role


 * Elizabeth I’s role in the arts**


 * **__Introduction__**
 * Queen Elizabeth was Englands great patron of the Arts who had found Englands identity as a cultural center for generations to come. Her interests did not lie in plain curiousity, but rather a need to maintain order and monarhcy in an era chaos and turbelence. As a result, paintings of Elizabeth portray the need for a "good" image. In other words, Elizabeth sacrificed realism in exhange for symbolism; her paintings showed power, wealth, glory, and beauty. Theater had become prelevant in the Elizabethan era as well. Her love of plays encouraged playwrights to make magic as they plased, with little intervention from the head government. Such freedoms were unknown at the team, and certainly helped the artistic industry flourish.


 * **__The Armada Portrait__**
 * This picture is widely reconginsed as a portriat that captures the zenith of Elizabeth's power. The portrait was completed in 1590, just two years the Spanish Armada attempted to invade England. Evidently, it can be seen through the window behind Elizabeth hat the Spanish Armada is feeing for its saftey, At the same time, Elizabeth is pointing at a globe, showing that England is finally a respectiful hegemon to reckon with after the defeat of the Spanish. Her power is seen everywhere. The crown in the backround reaffirms her legitmacy of the monarchy. All the jewels on the crown and her body shows her wealth, leaving a sense of "awe" among the viewers of the painting. The pearls on Elizabeth's necklace represents her "purity" as a virgin and monarch. She by no means a virgin, but she didn;t marry though fear of losing here grip on the country.



Theater in the Elizabethan Era were intended to draw in the masses, not only the wealthy elite Playwrights were always vying to gain the Queen's approval, Shakepeare being the most of course



In this painting, Elizabeth is seen standing on top of a map Europe. Clearly indicting Englands newfound role and power in European affairs. Paintings like these were meant to glorify England's image among the masses even if the claims weren't entirely true.