Framed size: 26" x 22" (66cm x 56cm).

Monkey Queen portrays a monkey wearing all the ornamentation of a Queen in front of a background made of red, white, blue, a clear not to the colors of the Union Jack. Painted on the occasion of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee to honor her 60 years on the throne, Monkey Queen superimposes the black and white stenciled face of a monkey directly onto Queen Elizabeth II’s iconic bust. Monkey Queen epitomizes Banksy’s artistic identity. The satirical image overtly criticizes the British leaders. Aligning the Queen with a primitive animal, the artist, in no uncertain terms, says that he believes the country is being run by apes. Along with the rat, the monkey is one of Banksy’s most frequently used animal characters. Satirizing the nature of humankind, Banksy uses these animals as didactic figures in his critical social commentary.