The Art Gallery of South Australia has acquired an exceedingly rare 16th-century portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, the first portrait of the Tudor monarch to enter a public collection in Australia. The work was purchased in memory of arts philanthropist Diana Ramsay AO (1926-2017), to mark what would have been Diana’s 100th birthday this year.
Elizabeth I with prayer book, c.1565, depicts a young Queen Elizabeth I in the early years of her reign, before she later established her tightly controlled portraiture style, and is likely to have been painted to mark the end of the mid-Tudor crisis of 1563.
The painting will join AGSA’s only other Tudor portrait, that of her father King Henry VIII, as a highlight of AGSA’s renowned collection of British art. This extraordinary work is now on display in Gallery 12 in AGSA’s Melrose Wing to be enjoyed by all South Australians and visitors to AGSA.
The work was purchased through the James & Diana Ramsay Fund, announced in 2019 as one of the most generous cultural gifts in Australia, and dedicated to securing major works for AGSA’s collection.
The James & Diana Ramsay Fund sits alongside the broader philanthropic work of the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation, which includes foundational support for AGSA’s contemporary art prize, the Ramsay Art Prize, and free activity space, The Studio.
“This tremendously important and exquisite work has remained in the same private collection since 1994 and is the only known painting of Queen Elizabeth I in a public collection in Australia,” said AGSA Director Jason Smith.
“It is only fitting that this portrait of one of the most significant female figures in Western history has been acquired in honour of one of AGSA’s most valued and visionary supporters, Diana Ramsay AO.”
Diana Ramsay’s unwavering support for AGSA, along with that of her husband James Ramsay AO, enriched South Australia’s cultural landscape in profound and lasting ways. Driven by passion, discernment, a deep love of art and a determined commitment to giving back to her community, Diana exemplified the transformative nature of philanthropy, both during and after her lifetime.
Born in Adelaide, Diana was a member of the well-known South Australian wine-making family, the Hamiltons. Her early experiences shaped a lifelong belief in the power of the arts and health to transform lives. As a young girl, visits to AGSA sparked her love of the visual arts.
On one particular visit with her father, Diana – at the age of ten – was enchanted by Nora Heysen’s Scabious, a work whose beauty and simplicity would continue to delight her for the remainder of her life.
“It is well known that Diana and James loved to celebrate anniversaries and milestones, that of others and their own, and they often gave generously to mark such occasions. The acquisition of this portrait in honour of Diana’s centenary is a tremendous tribute to her lifetime of generosity, advocacy and philanthropy,” said Kerry de Lorme, Executive Director, James & Diana Ramsay Foundation.
The unusual framing of the painting is known as an engaged frame, whereby the frame and painted surface are fashioned from the same piece of wood, with only the rough timber sides added later. The verse on the frame’s lower edge, traditionally attributed to Queen Elizabeth I, says:
Christ was the word that spake it
He took the bread and brake it
And what his word did make it
That I believe and take it
“Elizabeth I with prayer book presents Elizabeth I as a pious young queen and the upholder of the Protestant faith, bringing new stability to Britain following a time of significant religious upheaval,” said Tansy Curtin, Assistant Director, Artistic & Collection Programs, AGSA.
“This portrait is highly significant from an art historical and cultural perspective. In the coming years, we look forward to working with our conservation colleagues at Artlab to study and conserve this painting for future generations.”
All works of art that enter AGSA’s collection are entirely supported via philanthropy, gifts, or fundraising. For more information on how to support the acquisition of major works of art for the AGSA collection, visit: www.agsa.sa.gov.au for details.
Images: Tansy Curtin, Assistant Director, Artistic and Collection Programs, AGSA, and Jason Smith, Director, AGSA, with Elizabeth I with prayer book, c.1565 – photo by Saul Steed | Unknown (British school), Elizabeth I with prayer book, c.1565, London, oil on panel, 37.0 x 26.8 cm; The James and Diana Ramsay Fund 2026, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Diana Ramsay AO