Rare portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots uncovered

LONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters) A small portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots long dismissed as a later copy and gathering dust in a gallery warehouse has been identified as a rare contemporary or ear-contemporary image of the ill-fated monarch.

A method of estimating the age of wood called dendrochronology was used to establish that the panel on which the image was painted dated back to between 1560 and 1592, the National Portrait Gallery in London said.

Mary was born in 1542 and executed in 1587, meaning that the portrait was painted during her life or shortly after her death.

''This is an exciting find,'' said Tarnya Cooper, a curator at the gallery.

''The vast majority of painted portraits of Mary, Queen of Scots that survive were either painted in the Jacobean period, when her son James I came to the English throne, or are later imaginary portraits.'' The gallery said the painting, which shows a red-haired Mary wearing a feathered cap and ruffled collar, was painted either for a supporter as a symbol of loyalty while she was in prison or as an icon of Catholic martyrdom after her death.

The gallery purchased the painting in 1916 from London auctioneers Christie's, but it was believed to be a copy from the 18th century, partly because the original was painted over.

It depicts Mary around the time of her marriage to Lord Darnley, with whom Mary had a son, the future King James. After Darnley's murder Mary was forced to abdicate and escaped to England only to be imprisoned for the last 19 years of her life.

As cousin and heir to Elizabeth I, Mary became the focus of the Catholic rebellion and was seen as a threat to Protestant England. She was executed on Febuary 8, 1587.

The portrait went on display at the National Portrait Gallery from Wednesday.

REUTERS PB RN1856