Gloriana

In a kingdom ill-used to queens, Elizabeth I needed a very particular image to hold her divided country together.

The ‘Cult of Gloriana’ was a movement in which authors, musicians, and artists – among them Spenser, Shakespeare, Tallis and Byrd – elevated the queen to the status of a virgin goddess. Her image was widely owned and distributed, thanks to the expansion of printing, and the English came to surpass their European counterparts in miniature painting, allowing courtiers to carry a likeness of their sovereign close to their hearts.

Sumptuously illustrated, Gloriana tells the story of Elizabethan art as a powerful device for royal magnificence and propaganda. By illuminating several key artworks of Elizabeth’s reign, Linda Collins and Siobhan Clarke create a unique portrait of the Tudor monarch as she has never been seen before.

About the Authors

Linda Collins holds a BA in early Italian art and an MA in the works of Georges de la Tour. She was employed by Historic Royal Palaces for 23 years while continuing a career as an accredited lecturer for the Arts Society. She has appeared in PBS's Secrets of Henry VIII's Palace and has spoken on various radio programs.

Siobhan Clarke has a BA in modern history and has worked for Historic Royal Palaces for twenty years. She has also delivered lectures for the National Trust and the British Museum. Siobhan has written for BBC History Magazine and All About History and featured on Radio 4’s Women’s Hour and PBS’s Secrets of Henry VIII’s Palace.