Observing and using visual cues to deduct character from an image has shown me just how powerful suggestion is when it comes to making an image.  Via two exercises in observation, I’ve learned greatly. Visuals are the greatest indicators of emotion and character, especially in the realm of artistic vision.  In our most recent classes, I have come to this conclusion while observing portraits of two queens of England: Elizabeths I and II, as well as when observing two portraits of Elizabeth II at separate points in her life

In the first exercise, in which we compared and contrasted the portraits of the two Queen Elizabeths, the organization and structuring of each image provided insights into the nature of each queen, her personality, and reception among the public.  The portrait of Elizabeth I is striking in character, her white face standing out like a light against the darkened background. Her expression is one that resonates benevolence: she lacks stark emotion but what she does radiate is a sense of caring, wisdom, and absolute power.  Her hand over the ceremonial orb representing the world and her other hand holding a rod reminiscent of a shepherd’s staff, the painting shows symbols of her power over the people she rules. Beyond the obvious, all the major guiding lines in the image (found in the staff, the cloak, the crown, etc.) lead to her face, a radiant, ethereal expression.  This image contrasts with the photograph of Elizabeth II, in which light radiates onto her from above. Her expression and posture are far more relaxed and her attire more vulnerable, a simple dress compared to Elizabeth I’s many layers of cloak. Rather than having her hand over the ball as with her predecessor, she holds up the ball as if to express her willingness to bear the weight of the world.  Her crown is also considerably large for her head when compared to I’s, a suggestion of the United Kingdom’s large military presence in the world at the time it was taken. While Elizabeth II is the focal point in the image, she is not the sole object: she sits on her throne within a cathedral, suggesting not only her faith, but willingness to take a backseat to the powers that others have.

In the second exercise in which two portraits of Queen Elizabeth II were used, each taken at a different point in time, inference and background played major roles in the observing process.  In the first portrait, Elizabeth appears to be a queen struggling to find her footing, an unsure gazze across her face. In the second, she has aged significantly, her expression one of assurednesses with an added bit of jade; her years in power have clearly hardened her, and the cloudy background with an outcrop of sunshine suggests that the sun may be setting on her reign in the years to come.  In both photos, she is seen wearing an admiral’s cloak, initially too big, but fitting her snugly by the second photo.

So much can be derived from the subtle hints artists put in their work.  A portrait, if done correctly, can act as a biography of character and morality via the expressions one chooses to show during the taking of one.  In these images of the queens in particular, much can be said about how they ruled and the evolution of their rule.