Royal portraiture started to flourish in the mid-15th century, with painters like Hans Holbein the Younger, Lucas Horenbout and others working as court painters. For monarchs throughout history, the importance of their name went hand-in-hand with their image. The Tudors were some of the first monarchs to realize this power of imagery, Henry VIII being especially astute to this new way to convey authority and legacy.

His daughter, Elizabeth I, kept up this tradition with several portraits that still stun in their splendor today. As a female monarch in an age dominated by men, she worked tirelessly to craft her image that would match and surpass her male predecessors and counterparts - especially the Armada Portrait. She is one of the most intriguing personalities in history: “I’d rather be a beggar and single than a queen and married.”

A rather small work for me, I sought to update the Virgin Queen with a nod towards my roots/taste in early punk rock, striving to convey majesty, confidence, and a hint of wickedness.