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Secondary sourcePainting1600-1699

Queen Elizabeth I in parliamentary robes

Isaac Oliver · 1600-1699

A later engraving copying Isaac Oliver's 1620 portrait of Elizabeth I, showing her with a sceptre and orb.

This later engraving copies an earlier portrait of Elizabeth I, showing how her image was repeated and spread after her reign.

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Engraving of Queen Elizabeth I in a high, jeweled crown and a large lace ruff, holding a sceptre in her right hand and an orb in her left. She wears an ornate, pearl-studded gown. A dark oval frame surrounds her head and shoulders. Latin inscription below reads 'Elizabetha Regina' and two lines of Latin text.
Engraving after Isaac Oliver, Queen Elizabeth I in parliamentary robes, 17th century. Wellcome Collection.

About this source

What it is

This is an engraving made sometime in the 1600s, copying Isaac Oliver's 1620 portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. It is held by the Wellcome Collection in London. The print shows Elizabeth wearing a jeweled crown and large ruff, holding a sceptre and an orb, surrounded by an oval frame with a Latin inscription reading 'Elizabetha Regina'.

Why it matters

This engraving is a copy of an earlier image by Isaac Oliver, showing how portraits of famous rulers were reproduced and circulated after their deaths. It reveals how Elizabeth I's image as a powerful, dignified queen continued to be shared with audiences long after her reign ended, helping to build her lasting reputation.

Look closer

  • Why might this image have been copied from an earlier portrait rather than made from life?
  • What symbols in the image tell you that this is a queen, and what do they mean?
  • What might be missing from a formal portrait like this that a more personal account could show?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Elizabeth I on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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The Golden Speech

Elizabeth I of England · 30 November 1601

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