[MSN] How Mary Queen of Scots emerged from a £50 painting that was written off as a fake

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How Mary Queen of Scots emerged from a £50 painting that was written off 
as a fake
Art find X-rays reveal true image of rival to Elizabeth I who lost her head

A painting of Mary Queen of Scots, one of only two thought to have been 
made in her lifetime, has been discovered - in the National Portrait 
Gallery's very own store. The portrait was bought for £50 by the gallery 
in 1916 at Christie's. But later it was written off as an 18th century 
fake and was left to gather dust.

One day, however, Tarnya Cooper, curator of 16th-century collections at 
the gallery, decided to take a second look at the work, her instinct 
telling her it could just be original. The work was x-rayed. Beneath a 
layer of ugly yellow varnish and a dull, dark background lay an oval 
device framing the face, painted to look like marble, and the words 
Maria Scotiae (Mary of Scotland). The overpainting is thought to date 
from the 18th century.

Meanwhile dendrochronology, a technique whereby wood can be dated to 
within about 30 years based on an analysis of the grain, suggested that 
the panel on which the image was painted came from a tree felled between 
1560 and 1592. Mary was beheaded at Fotheringhay in 1587, and Dr Cooper 
thinks that the work comes from the early part of the 32-year span 
indicated by the dendrochronology, which means it was probably painted 
while she was alive.

Further evidence was gleaned from paint analysis, which showed that the 
lettering of the inscription was done in lead-tin yellow, a pigment not 
used after the 16th century. A conservator worked for a year to gently 
remove the overpainting and return the work to its original state. It is 
a particularly exciting discovery given the existence of just one other 
portrait known to have been made in her lifetime. That shows her in 
mourning, probably after the death of her first father-in-law, Henri II 
of France. Known as the Deuil Blanc portrait, it belongs to the Royal 
Collection.

Most of the near-contemporary paintings of her date from after her 
death, during the reign of James I, when her status as mother of the 
legitimate monarch lent her credibility.

But during her lifetime she was wildly controversial, not only for her 
cousin Elizabeth I, to whom she presented an open, Catholic threat, but 
also in Scotland, from whose throne she was forced to abdicate in 1567.

Fleeing to England the following year, she was imprisoned by Elizabeth 
for the remaining 20 years of her life - and presented a legal, moral 
and political headache for the English.

It would have been unthinkable for an English household openly to 
display a portrait of Mary; but it could have been kept as a secret icon 
of resistance by English Catholics. "It is fascinating that this 
portrait was probably painted during the period of Mary's captivity," 
said Dr Cooper.

"It could have been an emblem for one of her supporters, or a 
commemoration, made just after her death, of her martyrdom."

Alternatively, it is just possible that the portrait was painted in 
France, perhaps as part of a large set of images of kings and queens of 
Europe, according to Dr Cooper. "It's beautifully painted," she said, 
"especially around the eyes. Since it has been cleaned up you can see 
that she has a very penetrating gaze. The costume and pearls are very 
competently done."

The techniques used to redate the painting have been used only for the 
past two or three years by the gallery. "As we do more of this there 
will be more surprises," said Dr Cooper. "We have a lot of paintings we 
could be looking at."

· The portrait goes on display today at the National Portrait Gallery, 
London, WC2

Life and death

· Mary Stuart was born in 1542.

· Henry VII was her great-grandfather, giving her a claim to English throne.

· She was crowned Queen of Scotland, miniature coronation robes and all, 
aged nine months.

· She married three times. First, to the Dauphin François of France, 
reigning as queen for 18 months. Second, to Lord Darnley, their child 
being James I of England. Third, after Darnley's assassination, to the 
Earl of Bothwell.

· The phrase "En ma Fin gît mon Commencement" ("In my end is my 
beginning") was embroidered on her cloth of estate during her 
imprisonment in England.

· Her execution came after she was tried for treason, having been 
implicated in the Catholic Babington plot and a scheme to assassinate 
Elizabeth.

· It took three blows of the axe to kill her. Under her black gown she 
wore a red bodice and petticoat - the Catholic colour of blood and of 
martyrdom.

http://arts.guardian.co.uk