The historian presents a lavish introduction to the Elizabethan aesthetic. Beginning with the great portrait of the Queen in grand procession with her Garter Knights, Strong explores chivalry, the changing structure of society, the complexities of imagery and heraldic symbols, and the richness of the Elizabethan imagination. Significantly, these paintings were personal commissions by private individuals and not for public viewing, so they speak volumes about the people who commissioned, painted and saw them. Strong was Director of the National Portrait Gallery 1967–1973 and of the Victoria & Albert Museum 1974–1984.
