Portrait miniature of Queen Elizabeth I, watercolour on vellum, painted by Nicholas Hilliard, ca. 1586-1587.

Portrait of Elizabeth I, half length, in an oval within a rectangular frame. On either side of the portrait are inscriptions in gold.

Portrait of a woman, half length, looking to left and wearing an elaborate ruff and dress; her hair and costume are adorned with jewels.

Bequeathed by Mrs Doris Herschorn

From 'Artists of the Tudor Court', V&A exhibition, 1983, entry for P.23-1975: This miniature once belonged to a group of ten, four of which are now in the V&A [P.23-1975, P.24-1975, P.27-1975 and P.28-1975 - all framed in the same way with the miniature laid onto a later piece of parchment and inscribed with details of the sitter]. The earliest account of their history (Lord Ronald Sutherland Gower, The Great Historic Galleries of England, London, 1881, pl. xx) is highly romanticized and claims provenance from James II via Louis XIV which cannot be proved. Their certain history is as follows: acquired in Paris by James Edwards (1757-1816), bookseller and bibliographer, probably in the aftermath of the Treaty of Amiens; sold Christie’s July 15th 1816 (lot 61); acquired by the Rev. Thomas Butt of Kinnersley, Shropshire, who married Edward’s widow; by descent to Capt. H. Edwards-Heathcote, Belton Hall, Market Drayton; sold Christie’s June 13th 1928 (lot 45); purchased by Mrs Doris Herschorn; bequeathed, 1975.

Miniatures of royalty often played a part in marriage negotiations with foreign courts. They also had a domestic political role. This miniature celebrates Queen Elizabeth as Cynthia, ‘the wide Ocean’s Empresse’, victorious ruler of a maritime nation. Elizabeth’s ambassadors often carried her miniature with them when abroad, which was much admired.

P.23-1975