The present picture of Queen Anne of Denmark, with long face, hair piled high and wearing a white farthingale, is a version of the earliest portrait type of the Queen current in the new reign (see R. Strong, The English Icon, London and New York, 1969, p. 264, no. 249, illus. and R. Strong, Tudor and Jacobean Portraits, London, 1969, 1, p. 9). John de Critz was granted the office of Sergeant Painter to the King, for life, on 11 May 1605, jointly with Leonard Fryer, an otherwise unknown decorative painter who died by the end of the year. He produced several versions of this type. Two extant examples, a three-quarter length formerly in the collection of the Earl of Haddington (Sotheby's, 25-27 September 1987, lot 533, #60,000), and a full-length, at Loseley Park, are pendants to autograph versions of his portrait of James I (see R. Strong, Tudor and Jacobean Portraits, London 1969, I, p. 179). The de Critz portrait set the icongraphical type and face pattern employed during the first part of the reign until superceeded by the full-length by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, of which the finest version is at Woburn Abbey.

Queen Anne of Denmark was the daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark and Norway and Sophie, daughter of Ulric III, Duke of Mecklenburg. She married King James VI of Scotland in 1589 and was crowned with him at Windsor in 1603 soon after the death of Queen Elizabeth I. She took up residence in London at Somerset House, which was then renamed Denmark House. She was greatly involved in court entertainments, and personally appeared in masques by Jonson and Dekker. Building was another of her passions and despite a large annual income she was heavily in debt for much of her life. Although apparently inclined towards the Roman Church she died professing Protestantism.