George Gower (c. 1540–1596) was an English portrait painter who becameSerjeant Painter toQueen Elizabeth I in 1581.
Very little is known about his early life except that he was a grandson of Sir John Gower of Stittenham,North Yorkshire.[1]
His earliest documented works are the two 1573 companion portraits ofSir Thomas Kytson and his wifeLady Kytson, now in theTate Gallery in London.
Gower painted aself-portrait in 1579 (right) that shows hiscoat of arms and his artist's tools of his trade. Anallegorical device shows abalance with an artist'sdividers outweighing the family coat of arms, "a startling claim in England where a painter was still viewed as little more than an artisan."[1]
Gower is also famous for painting the Plimpton "Sieve" Portrait of Queen Elizabeth in 1579, now at theFolger Shakespeare Library. The sieve that Elizabeth carries signifies the Romanvestal virgin Tuccia, who carried water in a sieve to prove her chastity, thus representing Elizabeth's status as a virgin queen.[2] The globe over her right shoulder symbolizes her position as the leader of global empire.
Gower was appointed to the position ofSerjeant Painter to Queen Elizabeth in 1581.[1] This allowed him to paint most of England’s aristocracy. The post also made him responsible for painted decoration at the royal residences, and on coaches and furniture. Among his works were a fountain (now destroyed) and the astronomical clock, both atHampton Court Palace. He also inspected portraits of the Queen by other artists prior to their official release.
The version of theArmada Portrait of Elizabeth now atWoburn Abbey, painted to commemorate the 1588 defeat of theSpanish Armada, was formerly attributed to Gower, as was a cut down version in theNational Portrait Gallery (United Kingdom). All three extant versions are now thought to be the work of different unknown English artists.[3]
Gower died in London.
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