Pietro Annigoni's portraits of Elizabeth II - Wikiwand
Pietro Annigoni completed a number of portraits of Queen Elizabeth II between 1954 and 1972. In 1955, he painted her for the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers a...
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- Pietro Annigoni’s portraits of Queen Elizabeth II are among his best-known works, with a famous 1955 official portrait and a later 1969 National Portrait Gallery commission. These works remain central to discussions of his career and of royal portraiture.[1][5][8]
- The 1955 fishmongers portrait helped establish a lasting public image of the Queen in Annigoni’s Renaissance-inspired style, and it is frequently cited in discussions of mid-20th-century royal portraiture.[5][8]
- The 1969-portrait for the National Portrait Gallery, described as stark and monumental, contrasted with the earlier image and reflected Annigoni’s aim to portray Elizabeth II as a monarch bearing responsibilities rather than as a glamorous figure.[7][1]
Key context and sources:
- Annigoni’s body of Elizabeth II portraits spans 1954–1972, including sitters like the Queen herself and the context of royal commissions.[8][1]
- The 2012 National Portrait Gallery exhibition The Queen: Art and Image highlighted how Annigoni’s works fit into the broader history of royal portraiture in Britain.[1]
- Contemporary reporting and art-history summaries emphasize Annigoni’s place as a Renaissance-influenced portraitist in contrast to mid-century modern trends.[5][8]
If you’d like, I can pull specific passages from these sources or summarize how critics compare the two iconic portraits (1955 vs. 1969) in more detail.