Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I restored in London

CAIRO – 14 October 2017: A portrait of Queen Elizabeth I that celebrates Britain’s victory over the Spanish armada in 1588 has been carefully restored in London on October 13. The restorations were completed after a six-month process.

Originally owned by Sir Francis Drake, the Armada Portrait stands as one of Britain’s most priceless works of art, and has been passed down in the Drake family for generations.

Last year, the portrait was finally acquired by the British government after a fundraising campaign of 10 million British Pounds. There are three different surviving versions of the painting in total, and this restoration has ensured the Drake portrait is amongst the most clearly read and magnificent of them.

The Armada portrait is one of the earliest and largest examples of oil painting, thus providing historical value both for the British empire and the history of art in general.