A king or queen is a monarch whose dominion and rulership are extended over the boundary of a certain kingdom. A king is a male figure, while a queen is mostly his wife. However, in some cases, the queen is the main ruler of the kingdom.
These royal entities are an essential part of world history, and the way different kings and queens have ruled over centuries has shaped the way the world is today.
Portraits are both historical documents and beautiful works of art. They can tell us about the lives of our ancestors, but they are also the inspiration for future generations. In this post, we’ll explore some famous portraits of kings and queens from around the world—and how each one impacted history. So let’s get right in and examine some famous portraits of kings and queens!
Table of Contents
Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I By Marcus Gheeraerts
The portrait is a full-length painting of the queen, known as an astute ruler and a shrewd businesswoman. Her long hair is curled, and her face is heavily lined with age.
Her dress looks more like something you’d find on your grandmother than someone in charge of one of Europe’s largest kingdoms.
The painting was commissioned by Sir Francis Walsingham, ambassador to France (and later secretary to Queen Elizabeth I). It depicts her wearing a purple silk gown with fur at the collar and sleeves as well as a matching cape over it all, a fashionable look at the time.
Iconic Portrait of Louis XIV (King of France) By Charles Le Brun
This iconic portrait of French King Louis XIV is by Charles Le Brun. It was painted in 1660 and is now part of the Louver Museum in Paris.
The painting shows Louis XIV as he sits on a gold-covered throne, surrounded by his royal guards, all dressed in red velvet uniforms with gold trim. The king wears a costume that includes an elaborate cape or mantle with fur trimming around the sleeves and shoulders. In addition, he had an elaborate hat with plumes (a symbol of power), a white wig over long blond hair, black gloves, and lace-up boots with fur-trimmed slits up one side, all very expensive accessories at the time!
Princess With The Rose By Frederic Leighton
The Princess with the Rose (1876) is an oil on canvas painting by Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton. It is a portrait of a young girl holding a rose and wearing a dress with a bow at the waist. The work was commissioned by George Lewis-Lister-Stanley, who owned it for several years before selling it to Lord Ashbourne for £1 million ($1,500 million).
The painting depicts Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg as she appeared in 1880 at age 15 or 16. The artist’s daughter wrote: “It was painted when she was about sixteen years old; she wore short hair then…I remember being very impressed when I saw it.”
Portrait of Queen Victoria By John Everett Millais
This is one of the most famous portrait paintings in art history of Queen Victoria. It was painted by John Everett Millais in 1857 and is part of the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. The painting shows Queen Victoria wearing an elaborate dress with her hair pinned up in a bun as she sits on a sofa with her hands folded in prayer.
The painting was commissioned by Princess Louise, who was then engaged to Prince Albert (later King Edward VII). She wanted something more realistic than other portraits that had been done before and it turned out just as well for her!
Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia’s Childhood Portrait
The Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna. She was born on June 5, 1901, in Peterhof Palace. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna’s mother was a German princess who married Tsar Nicholas II in 1896.
The Grand Duchess Anastasia had an illustrious childhood that included holidays at the Alexander Palace on Lake Baikal and visits to Europe’s royal families. As a result, she caught the eye of many princes, including King George V. This portrait by Konstantin Makovsky shows her wearing a white dress with lace edging, which is perfect for any bride-to-be looking for inspiration before their big day comes around.
Maria of Yugoslavia By Paja Jovanovic
During her marriage to King Alexander, Maria of Yugoslavia reigned as the Queen of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes from 1922 to 1934. Marie of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the final Romanian monarch whose grandmother was Queen Victoria, was her mother.
She was a huge motor enthusiast and loved long road trips. Maria is depicted in this royal painting by Paja Jovanovic as being stylishly attired and donning a diadem.
One of the most well-known Serbian artists, Jovanovic, lived for almost a century. He produced around 1000 paintings during his lengthy career. In addition, his portraits gained him a lot of notoriety.
Carlos II By Claudio Coello
The last Habsburg to rule Spain was Carlos, also known as Charles II. Around 1680, Claudio Coello, a famous Spanish painter of the late Baroque period, created this royal portrait. Unfortunately, Charles II had both mental and physical impairments. In addition, he is reported to have had a Habsburg Jaw, a birth defect connected to the royal family’s inbreeding.
He was believed to have been possessed due to his ailment and the prevalent beliefs of the time.
Conclusion
Portraits are fascinating historical documents, but they’re also works of art. You could spend your whole life looking at portraits and not even seeing them all in several styles and mediums. These are only a few royal portraits among the thousands that have been painted over many centuries; if your interest has been piqued by reading this article, you can research and see more famous portrait paintings in art history.
