The Power of a Portrait

Queen Elizabeth I is widely regarded as one of England's greatest monarchs.  One of her many strengths was an understanding of the importance of public image.  Her portraits were carefully crafted and included symbols to convey power and majesty.  The Rainbow Portrait, painted in 1600 by Isaac Oliver, exemplifies the use of images to illustrate the Queen's good qualities.  The cloak that Elizabeth is wearing in the portrait is embroidered with eyes and ears, signifying that she can hear and see everything.  Her intricate headdress is decorated with pearls and rubies, and holds up her royal crown.  The pearls are meant to represent her virginity, while the crown illustrates her royal status.  On her left sleeve is a jeweled serpent with heart-shaped ruby in its mouth; the snake symbolizes wisdom and the ruby represents the Queen's heart.  The snake has caught the heart, meaning that the Queen's wisdom restrains her emotions.  Above the snake is a celestial sphere, which also signifies wisdom and the Queen's power over nature.  Elizabeth holds a rainbow in her right hand with the latin phrase 'Non sine sole iris' (No rainbow without the sun) inscribed above.  The rainbow represents peace and prosperity, while the inscription tells the audience that the Queen and her wisdom brings the peace and prosperity.  Though Elizabeth was actually in her sixties when this portrait was painted, she is depicted as young and beautiful.  This portrait was carefully thought out to present a wise and powerful monarch.

Sources:
http://www.marileecody.com/eliz1-images.html

Huguenots: Where are They Now

French Huguenots were a part of the reformed reformation process and mainly located in within France. The Huguenots like the Cathars, who preceded them, had to fight for their beliefs against the French Catholics . Yet unlike the Cathars the French Huguenots successfully defended their faith and were not exterminated. Under the edict of Nantes the Huguenots were protected until it was repealed in 1685. The result would be a massive diaspora of hundreds of thousands French citizens to more accepting protestant nations such as Great Britain and Germanic Countries. Great Britain which allowed much more religious freedom in her colonies is probably why so many Huguenots who retain their denominations traditions are currently residing in Australia. Though their numbers are vastly smaller than at their height which was around 2 million French believers. Though many assimilated to the cultures of the countries they fled to. While not all Huguenots fled France and a couple Huguenot communities remain in southern France. As in 1787 protestants such as the Huguenots finally were accepted and considered equal citizens under law. Also there is a Huguenot society in America that accepts applicants who can prove Huguenot heritage or is sponsored by a current member. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huguenot#Effects

 http://huguenotsocietyofamerica.org/?page=Membership

It's in the eyes- Artwork of St. Teresa of Avila

In accordance with our study of the Counter Reformation, I will look at another figure of the period – St. Teresa of Avila – through the lens of two different works of art. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) is best known for her mysticism, writings, and leadership in the Carmelite order in Spain.  During her lifetime, she remained persistent in the growth of a reform-minded Carmelite order, as well as wrote works such as Way of Perfection and her Autobiography (Zophy 261-262). I desired to compare two works focused on St. Teresa of Avila in order to demonstrate both her own legacy and that of the Counter Reformation.

The first work is Bernini’s infamous sculpture, The Ecstasy of St. Teresa. Sculpted in the years 1647-1652, the work stands as a testimony to Teresa of Avila’s distinct mysticism, as it depicts her in the midst of a religious vision. As the viewer can see, the sculpture retains all the drama of the Baroque period whilst rendering the saint as overwhelmingly beholden to her spiritual vision. Moreover, the facial expressions of both Teresa and the other figure evoke emotion and vivid experience. The multiple folds of Teresa’s garb add further spectacle to the scene. In comparison, the second work, Baron Francois Gerard’s St. Teresa, is altogether different, but this naturally stems from its later time frame (early 19^th century) and thus, Romantic style. The portrait simply gives a modest Teresa, with eyes that angled upward convey a subtle link to mysticism, but moreover, convey a blend of piety and mystery. Gerard gives an ideal Teresa, quiet but impactful in beauty and mystery, a spiritual figure from a faraway, lost place (hence approximately two centuries in separation between the portrait and her death).  Bernini equally moves away from reality, but in a way that still seems evocative of the mysticism central to St. Teresa’s character and even the criticism she faced. The works are in truth mostly contrasting depictions of St. Teresa, but they both persist in demonstrating the historical impact of reformers from the period, who tend to appear as stabilizers not defectors after their lifetimes.

Sources:

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bern/hd_bern.htm

http://www.wga.hu/html_m/g/gerard/7theresa.html

Images:

http://www.artble.com/imgs/d/a/5/431705/the_ecstasy_of_saint_theresa.jpg

https://fraangelicoinstitute.com/2012/10/15/st-teresa-of-avila-on-love/teresa_avila_gerard/

The Mary Rose: Henry's Baby

 The Mary Rose was a carrack-type warship that came to be known as the best ship of Henry VIII's time. She was known for her grandeur, beauty, and success. Succeeding Henry's coronation, the new young King knew he needed a great navy, as England was threatened by both the Scots and the French. At the time, he only had a handful of warships and merchant vessels at his disposal. Therefore, in 1510, construction of the Mary Rose started in Portsmouth, where 600 oak trees were used to build it. The earliest reference of the Mary Rose by name appears in a payment record made by Henri VIII for bringing the ship from Portsmouth to the River Thames.
   The ship's first battle was in 1512 against the French fleet. The ship's captain deemed it "the noblest ship of sail". The Mary Rose fought three battles against the French, before sinking on July 19, 1545 at the Battle of Solent. Many attempts were made between 1545 and 1549 to raise to wreck, all unsuccessful.
    After lying dormant for 300 years, divers John and Charles Deane discovered the wreck and were able to raise guns. However, they eventually lost the site of the wreck. In 1982, the wreck of the hull was raised, and event that was viewed on television by 60 million people worldwide.

    It is believed that the Mary Rose was named after Henry's sister. However, it was most likely named after the Virgin Mary.

Visitors can now visit the ship in Portsmouth- (The Mary Rose Museum, Portsmouth Historic Courtyard)

Sources:

"The Mary Rose", The Mary Rose, 2016, http://www.maryrose.org/discover-our-collhttp://www.maryrose.org/discover-our-collection/ection/ 

"The Mary Rose: A Tudor ship's secrets revealed". BBC, 2013. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-22639505