How many portraits has the queen had

During this era images of the Queen became increasingly informal and relaxed. However, the first public appearances of Lady Diana Spencer at the start of the 80s consequently made the press more intrusive and more probing into the public image of royalty. The depictions of the Queen grew more diverse in the s and suggest the struggle for identity that confronted the royal family.

Queen Elizabeth II b. Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II b. This work by Michael Leonard hangs in the National Portrait Gallery , but was painted in the Yellow Drawing Room at her London home, a favourite location of hers for portrait sitting because of its abundant natural light. Painted in the mid-eighties, Her Majesty is accompanied by an iconic associate: Spark, one of her beloved corgis.

This beautifully detailed artwork is one of the more recent portraits of Her Majesty, having been unveiled in at the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly.

The painting by Ben Sullivan shows the year-old Queen at Windsor Castle , where she is pictured alongside her black handbag. Sullivan opted to keep the famous handbag in the painting as it added a personal touch to the work. The Queen has lived through one of the most progressive centuries in art history, so naturally some of her portraits reflect this.

This remarkably contemporary portrait was commissioned by the Royal Society of Arts from artist Justin Mortimer, who was just 27 years old at the time.

The Queen sat for the portrait, aware it might be one of the more unusual. It can be seen on display to the public in the cafe at the Royal Society of Arts. This well-known portrait of the Queen, called Queen Regent, was painted by Pietro Annigoni in as a commission for the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers.

The romantic work by the Italian artist shows the monarch wearing the robes of the Order of the Garter and looking out across a pastoral scene. Annigoni said he was inspired to put her in the outdoor setting after speaking to the Queen about how, as a child, she used to enjoy watching people and traffic pass by from her window. Sixty years after the Queen was crowned, Australian artist Ralph Heimans chose the very spot where the coronation took place as the setting for his portrait of the monarch.

This imagined scene shows a present-day Queen standing in Westminster Abbey, wearing the same velvet robe of state she wore at her coronation. The abbey purchased the 11ft long artwork, but on its first exhibition, the portrait was vandalised with spray paint. As one of the most recognisable figures in the world, not all portraits made of the Queen have been overly flattering.

The Queen was totally unflappable and very understanding. She made me feel like she had all the time in the world — she was so generous. I was very impressed by what a natural leader he is. He has real presence and energy. He could so easily have been unrelaxed just before going on parade but, instead, he was totally calm and in control. Aged just 31, Isobel Peachey was commissioned by Cunard to paint the Queen for the launch of the liner Queen Elizabeth in , where it still hangs.

Her portrait of Princess Anne was commissioned by the Royal Society of Arts when she succeeded her father as President there, and the portrait hangs outside the Great Room, over the top of the staircase. Shortly afterwards I received a vague email asking me to go to an interview without telling me who the sitter was.

They also asked if I needed anything in particular when painting a portrait. Then they told me they were looking for an artist to paint the Queen. I remember feeling shocked because it had never occurred to me that it would be such an important royal commission.

It was surreal but wonderful. Cunard wanted the Queen to look welcoming and homely, as well as regal, so they suggested having the grand fireplace in the background. It was important to see her body language and build up a true picture of her. It taught me a great deal and was a turning point in my career as portrait painter.

Eventually, when I was able to tell them, they were shocked and happy for me. I invited my closest friends and family to the official unveiling at the National Portrait Gallery and having them there really made my evening. I was standing next to the portrait as she came down the grand staircase and when she saw it she giggled. Again the sittings took place in the Yellow Drawing Room but this time there was no formal brief. After she left I found out it was her wedding anniversary that day, so I wanted to offer her one, which I later presented to her when her portrait was unveiled at the RSA.

Chris Levine is a pioneer in the field of light art.