Right, so I could’ve sworn I saw this painting in the National Portrait Gallery — or one very like it — a painting of Queen Elizabeth I in a dress covered in eyes and ears. Naturally, I thought, “Well this is basically supernatural CCTV, isn’t it?” Turns out, the painting I thought I saw was probably a different one, but let’s just say my memory’s got a flair for drama — and thank God for that, because it led me to the Rainbow Portrait, which is in Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, where I expect hurricanes hardly ever happen. But that’s not the point — please don’t get distracted now... the point is, it’s the most amazing painting.
Painted around 1600 and often attributed to Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger (or maybe Isaac Oliver — you know how the art world loves a bit of mystery), this portrait is Elizabeth I serving divine surveillance realness. She’s wearing a gown literally embroidered with eyes and ears. Not even subtly — she wants you to know she sees everything and hears everything. So don’t even think about skipping Mass or throwing shade at the tavern.
She’s holding a rainbow that says “Non sine sole iris,” which is Latin for “No rainbow without the sun,” or, as I like to interpret it: “No beauty without me.”
Anyway, this glorious painting sparked the idea for one of our prints, Omniscient. We wanted to capture that same slightly unnerving energy. Eyes. Ears. A divine kind of nosiness. The kind of vibe where you’re not just being watched — you’re being judged by someone with excellent taste and a wig collection Cher would kill for.
For me, Omniscient isn’t just about channeling regal power — it’s a print that says, “I know what you did, and frankly, I support it.”
So yes, inspired by Her Majesty’s bejewelled Big Brother moment, I created a print that peers into your soul, listens to your gossip, and still manages to look great while doing it. Just like the Virgin Queen (no one believes you, Liz — and you can pipe down too, Mary) would’ve wanted. ✨