Kensington Palace, the birthplace of the Queen: being an historical guide to the state rooms, pictures and gardensLaw, Ernest
History
Kensington Palace, the birthplace of the Queen: being an historical guide to the state rooms, pictures and gardens
Law, Ernest
Kensington Palace (London, England) -- Guidebooks; Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1901
Full-length, face turned to the right. His right hand is extended,
his left holds back his crimson and ermine cloak. His dress is blue
with rich gold lace. He has a short wig. On canvas, 7 ft. 9 in.
high, by 4 ft. 9 in. wide.
Vanloo came to England in 1737, and this portrait was probably
painted about two years after. He became a very popular artist, and
made a great deal of money, for, as his French biographer
observes:--"L'Angleterre est le pays où il se fait le plus de
portraits et où ils sont mieux payés." Engraved by Baron.
This picture, therefore, dates from the time when the Prince was
about thirty-one years of age, and had been expelled from St.
James's Palace, and was in declared enmity with his father. His
insignificant character, which excited contempt rather than
dislike, is very happily satirized in the famous epitaph:
"Here lies Fred,
Who was alive and is dead;
Had it been his father,
I had much rather;
Had it been his brother,
Still better than another;
Had it been his sister,
No one would have missed her;
Had it been the whole generation,
Still better for the nation;
But since 'tis only Fred,
Who was alive and is dead,
There's no more to be said."
5 _Unassigned._
6 Caroline, Queen of George II. (_784_) . . . . . ZEEMAN?
Full-length, standing, figure to the left, face a little to the
right. Her left hand holds up her cloak, her right is on a table,
on which is a crown and sceptre. She wears a blue velvet dress
trimmed with broad gold braid, and a white satin skirt, richly
worked with gold and jewels. Her hair is short and powdered. On
canvas, 7 ft. 9 in. high, by 4 ft. 9 in. wide.
This was formerly attributed to Kneller, but it cannot be by him,
as she is represented as queen, while Kneller died four years
before her accession. Caroline was forty-five when her husband
became king.
"Her levées," says Coxes, "were a strange picture of the motley
character and manners of a queen and a learned woman. She received
company while she was at her toilette; prayers and sometimes a
sermon were read; learned men and divines were intermixed with
courtiers and ladies of the household; the conversation turned on
metaphysical subjects, blended with repartees, sallies of mirth,
and the tittle-tattle of a drawing-room."
7 _Unassigned._
8 Portrait of George I. (_782_) . . . . . KNELLER.
Seated, facing in front. He is in the robes of the Order of the
Garter. His left hand on the arm of the chair, his right on a
table, whereon are a crown and a plumed helmet. On canvas, 7 ft. 9
in. high, by 4 ft. 9 in. wide.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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