James VI and I

James (1566-1625) was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Lord Darnley. He was crowned as James VI of Scotland and James I of England in 1603. He was a reluctant sitter and in his few portraits Henry Peacham found artists committed two principal errors, 'the one in the complexion and haire, the other is in the mouth, which commonly they draw with a full and great netherlip very apparent, wherein they commit the chiefest error.' DPG548 is one of four known full-length versions of a type originated probably by De Critz in 1606. The others are at Loseley Park, in the Prado and in a private collection. DPG548 was attributed in 1926 to Gheeraerts and said to be signed, but the 'signature' (which had already been doubted) was presumably false and must have been removed during cleaning in 1953.