The Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I

A red cocker spaniel in a vast lace ruff, a pearl-sewn black-and-white gown and ropes of pearls rests a paw on a globe beside a jewelled crown, with ships at sea in the windows behind. An animal takes the sitter's place in a Renaissance court portrait, keeping the pose, the costume and the setting the painter gave it. Fur, eyes and bearing are painted anew in the same manner, so the animal wears the finery of the court as if it had always been its own.

Its palette, measured from the canvas, is led by rust, with taupe and ink in support: a low-lit, warm picture. Those warm tones give it a glow that comes alive in lamplight and deepens as the evening draws in. The wide format lets the scene unfold from side to side, with something new to find towards its edges.

A wide canvas like this one is a natural focal point above a sofa, a sideboard or a bed, where its width can carry the wall. It brings a touch of the royal court to a study, a library wall or the space above a mantel. Rust and taupe are easy to echo in cushions, a throw or a painted wall nearby, and it holds its own in a mixed gallery wall.

George Gower made the original around 1588; in the collection it is listed under Renaissance. It has the balance and finish of the Renaissance, every detail placed with deliberate care. This painting is printed to order on gallery-wrapped canvas in 30 × 40 cm or 40 × 60 cm, from the image you see here. The canvas wraps around its frame, so it arrives ready to hang, with no framing needed. Want yourself in it instead? Add a photo and see your portrait free before you order.