《中英對照讀新聞》Rare portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots uncovered 蘇格蘭女王瑪麗的稀有畫像被發現

◎魏國金

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 near-contemporary image of the ill-fated monarch.

一幅長期被當作出自後代的贗品，而遭閒置在畫廊倉庫惹塵埃的蘇格蘭女王瑪麗的小畫像，已被鑑定出是這位命運多舛的女君主同時期或接近同時期的畫像。

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.

倫敦國家肖像美術館指出，一種稱為「樹木年代學」的樹木年輪推估法，被用來確認畫像繪板的年代可溯及1560至1592年之間。

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

瑪麗生於1542年，1587年被處決，這意謂畫像在她生前或死後不久所畫。

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.

美術館說，這件呈現紅髮瑪麗穿戴著翎冠與高褶領的作品，若非擁護者在她繫獄時為了表示效忠而繪，就是在她死後作為天主教殉道者肖像而畫。

The gallery purchased the painting in 1916 from London auctioneers Christie’s, but it was believed to be a copy from the 18th century.

美術館於1916年從倫敦的拍賣商佳士得買下這幅畫作，但認為它是一幅18世紀的贗品。

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.

它描繪瑪麗與達恩里勳爵成婚時期，瑪麗與他生有一子，即是未來的詹姆士國王。在達恩里遭謀殺後，瑪麗被迫退位，並逃到英格蘭，卻落得被囚禁，在獄中度過19年餘生的下場。

新聞辭典

contemporary︰形容詞，當代的、同時代的；名詞，同時代的人。He was looked down upon by his contemporaries.（他被同時代的人輕視。）

execute︰執行、實施；處決。The government had difficulty in executing the policy.（政府在執行該政策時有困難。）

abdicate︰放棄權力、（國王）退位。