WILLIAM WODALL
Author and illustrator of
The Aaes of Queene Elizabeth
Allegorized, a manuscript poem
comprising six cantos. The
poem recounts the six major
crises of Elizabeth's reign: the
Spanish Armada, the Ridolfi
Plot, the Babington Plot, the
Jesuit Mission, the Northern
Rising, and her pride.
Satire This is a quill-and-ink satire
of the elderly queen's pride-As
head of state and fashion, she is
shown as a grossly disproportioned
bird, with an overinflated fluffy ruff
displaying a fan of daggers. A
hooded eye pins us, while a raised
foot pauses to assess the next move.Ruffs and feathers Starched white
ruffs worn at court and by English
society grew steadily larger as
Elizabeth's reign progressed. By her
old age, it was customary to wear
up to three tiers supported on
sticks. Beneath the lethal fan drawn
here is the body of a bird of prey;
dark trimmed feathers suggest a
tawny owl.Iron-gall ink Wodall's dangerous
caricature steps daintily between
the written lines of her dedicated
page. Top-heavy, the queen is
masterfully rebalanced by words
at her feet The whole drawing's
blackened, bitten nature, and
saturations showing through from
the other side, suggest the use
of iron-gall ink (see p.35).Satire of the Queen's Dress
c.1599
71 / 2 x 51 / 4 in (190 x 134 mm)
WILLIAM WODALL