George Gower
By Claire Ling
George Gower
George Gower was born in 1540 and spent most of his life in England. Little is known about his childhood and education. The earliest information available is that he became serjeant painter to Queen Elizabeth I in 1581. He was a portrait painter. His most famous paintings are the Armada Portrait and Lady Kytston. His patrons were Queen Elizabeth and the Navy.
Armada Portrait
The Armada Portrait was created in 1588. What is interesting about it is that there are three different versions. One is located in Woburn Abbey, another in the National Portrait Gallery, and the third is owned by the Tyrwitt-Drake family. This piece is significant because it depicts the Queen after the defeat of the Spanish Armada. This work is closely linked to humanism because it presents the Queen as a powerful human being with her crown and her hand on the globe.
Bibliography
John A. Wagner. "George Gower." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Gower, George. Armada Portrait. N.d. National Portrait Gallery, London. artstor.com. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Gower, George . Lady Kytston. N.d. Tate Gallery, London. artstor.com. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Gower, George. Portrait of Queen Elizabeth. N.d. Tate Gallery, London. artstor.com. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.