The Pregnancy Portrait of Elizabeth 1. Taking a close look at the painting. By David Shakespeare.

A more detailed pdf on this topic available at.

The video describes a detailed analysis of the painting currently labelled "Unknown woman in Persian dress" by Marcus Gheeraerts, and hanging in the Haunted Gallery of Hampton Court Palace.

I present evidence that the subject is a pregnant Elizabeth 1. I have decoded the complex allegories within the painting, including a link to Shakespeare's poem The Phoenix and the Turtle.

I have proposed how the painting looked originally and how and why changes were made to it.

I give my interpretation of the meaning of the painting in order to stimulate further study and interest.

Join me in having a really close look at this wonderful painting, which I believe is one of the most important Elizabethan artefacts, from which there is much still to learn.

[virginiarparker]

I have never seen a masterpiece. It is on my bucket list. I am a goat farmer in Mississippi. This was so interesting to me that I stayed with it to the finish to see more. Thank you for your time. I will look at other old paintings with a different eye for sure.

[leannegravelle]

To me, this is clearly Arbella Stuart. She is known to have been pregnant around this time. She would have also been a noble and worn expensive clothing such as this. She also did look somewhat similar to Queen Elizabeth I, but they have different noses.

[pointsettaqueen]

I wish there were more in depth interpretations of this type. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us.

[thebee]

You have changed me. I will never look at a painting in haste again. I’ll always remember your wonderful commentary, that was gripping, well done.

[sweettina]

Absolutely beautiful painting, and a wonderful analysis. I am in no fashion qualified to analyze paintings, but, as a mother I found a couple things to which I relate: during pregnancy our feet and hands can often swell, making it difficult to wear rings. I wore my wedding rings on a gold chain necklace when my hands were swollen. Also, see where she is holding her back with her left hand? That's exactly where your back aches worse during pregnancy. As a nurse and a mother, childbirth can be the worst pain they will ever feel....It's b a d. Especially if you're petite.
That sounds oversimplistic, doesn't it? Oh well. Lol, isn't it hanging near the birthing chamber? It seems I heard something to that effect, immediately I knew what the old gal was going through.
Thank you, it was very interesting! I've loved and read about art since I was a little girl, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[christinethornhill]

Marvellous narration, I would thoroughly enjoy a book reading from your good self . It's a pleasure to listen to a clear voice. Thank you

[winterweib]

I watched it because of my interest in history. But I stayed like paralysed for the wonderful and incredible interesting lecture., which was brought to us by the wonderful voice of a real lover of the subject.
I am thankful from my heart. Would never had thought a lecture of a painting could be so outstanding. I had not a single uninterested second, and I will watch this again and again.
Many greetings and wishes from Berlin in Germany!

[triskerslake]

A fascinating discussion and so beautifully paced. The clues, once seen, cannot be unseen. What a delicious mystery. Many thanks for bringing this portrait to life.

[siege]

I don't know what it is about your voice, it's clear and calming. You're information is compelling. I appreciate your great efforts to provide us with such an excellent tale, I can imagine everything you describe. Delightful!

[delarahmoore]

Dont know much about art, but am an avid history fan. This was an extremely well done and interesting video. Thank you for your explanations. I enjoyed watching.

[argusfleibeit]

That was great! Fascinating. I felt at times you were stretching it, as to what was there and what it meant. When you made the first reference to it portraying and unhappy woman, I would not think that from just a cursory look. But the sonnet gives no doubt. Too bad we will never get to the bottom of some of these things. I have such a quandary in my own family, with a long-lost half-brother I discovered too late to ask my mother about. Speculation can be an entertaining pastime, or it can be a wound that never can be healed.

[three]

Your lecture was fascinating. So much was added, (or deleted) in artwork of the time to symbolize issues of the day. Although many portraits had corrective, restorative and repair work done over time, the original artist's work was very drliberate. I found myself wanting those shoes.

[ariellehart]

I thoroughly enjoyed your analysis of this beautiful painting. Thank you for introducing this marvelous portrait to us through YouTube. I have so appreciated it!

[misticl]

This video was absolutely lovely and I greatly appreciated your analysis! I quite agree that this painting needs further interrogation and most definitely to be x-rayed!

Thank you for sharing your work :)

[artisallthat]

I like your investigative process. I've watched the series Fake or Fortune and this painting certainly has been painted over and changed. Really needs to be cleaned, xrayed and analyzed by the paint layers. It's a very messy picture. The dress stands out from all the other elements as being crisp and well painted. The background is very murky.

[Santu]

"When you are dressing a wound, pain is pain´s medicine" - pain alerts the immune system that that place of the body needs repair and the healing innate body substances are sent there. Sensing the pain does also mean that that place in the body is still alive, the connection to the nerves intact and also the brain area intact. (to 31min41)

[brittletip]

I must admit that this painting reminds me of the Empress tarot card in the Rider Waite deck, complete with stream Woods fruit and in other cards a stag. The empress stands for creativity, fertility, Abundance, Beauty and ultimate feminine power.

[desertdragonworksaz]

This is fascinating. I am not a scholar, but an artist... and I have a myriad of ideas floating around in my head. Thank you so much for your close look at this painting. I am intrigued!

[michelehood]

A gorgeous and richly-themed painting ❤️ One can only imagine how much more beautiful this piece was before it was altered!

[artisallthat]

You might also want to take a look at "the lost dress of Queen Elizabeth 1" The dress was found in a church and is covered with floral illustrations, birds and animals. There is a 5 petaled lily looking flower that is yellow as well as a real lily.