DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0077
OF THE WORLD'S INDUSTRY. 53
with, all the feathers, and lace, and pearls, and jewellery that it is possible to load them
with; neither do we pourtray oar belles as Dianas arrayed for the chase, as Bellonas
with spear and helm, or as piping shepherdesses with a lamb and crook, Let us peep
into Hampton Court, and see the Virgin Queen, exhibited in every stage of life from
infancy to age, and loaded alike in all with extravagant profusion of dress and ornament.
At the same time the artist was rigidly exact in point of resemblance.. It is curious to
observe the difference between the poets and the painters of that period in their descrip-
tions of royal personages. While the former launched out into the most extravagant
praises as to their personal charms, their youth, their beauty, and their noble qualities, the
latter, severely true, represented them precisely as they were. From, the poetry of
Spenser, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Philip Sidney, and others, one would imagine the
beauty of an Aspasia outrivalled, the graces of a Helen eclipsed. But Holbein and
Zucchero have given us very different ideas; they have faithfully and honestly done
their best to immortalise the lineaments of their royal mistress, in colours as true as
they deserve to be lasting. We feel grateful, too, that bluff old Harry had no courtly
flatterer—no Sir Thomas Lawrence of the day—to soften down, to generalize his stal-
wart proportions, or to idealize his countenance. He stands before us with his bold
swagger, and all his characteristic qualities, such as they were, unmistakeably delineated
in his features. Again, in the cold and unbending severity of the " Elizabeth" of the
same painter, who can recognise the "Gloriana" of Spenser, the unrivalled paragon of
perfection, so celebrated in the poetry of the times. In fact, in his courtly adulation,
in his disregard to truth, the portrait painter of the present day has lost ground, instead
of advancing in his art, and will, consequently, have less claim upon the. respect of
future generations, who would prefer, one would imagine, to see then' ancestors as they.
really looked and moved, and not as if their features were softened down and corrected
according to Gay's precept in the fable, from the Apollo and the Venus in the studio
of the painter. But it is time for us to leave the court of '' Gloriana," and that. of her
august sire, and.turn our attention to our own gracious Sovereign, whose portrait,
with that of her illustrious. Consort, we have the pleasure of presenting to our readers.
They were both objects of much attraction in the Crystal Palace, and were painted, on
china, after the originals, by Winterhalter j that of the Queen having been executed by
Madame A. Ducluzeau, and its companion by M. Antoine Beranger, of Paris •"* and to both
of these artists was awarded the honourable distinction of a prize medal. As a fitting
accompaniment we subjoin a brief memoir of the illustrious pair. The. language of
eulogy, when applied to kings and queens, generally becomes a direct falsehood, or sub-
sides into unmeaning commonplace. The graceless Charles II. was -? our most religious
king." The royal libertine, who spurned from his home and heart, and consigned to
an early grave, the wife he had sworn to cherish and protect, was hailed as " the first
gentleman of the age;" and thus it has ever been. . In the eyes of the world the graces
of royalty amply compensate for its vices. When royalty is spoken of, the language of
flattery only is heard j the censor speaks with bated breath. And thus the difficulty is
increased when, as in the case before us, the voice of praise is but the voice of truth.
In our sketch—as is but right—we must give the first place to our Sovereign Lady,
Queen Victoria. The incidents of her life may soon be told. Her father was his Royal
Highness Edward Duke of Kent, fifth child of George III. Her mother was Victoria
Maria Louisa of Saxe Coburg Saalfield, and was born at Coburg on the 17th of August,
1786. In her sixteenth year this amiable princess became the consort of the hereditary
Prince Leiningen; but after the birth of two children she became a widow, and was
married to the Duke of Kent on the 29th of May, 1818, with all due splendour, at
Coburg, in conformity with the Lutheran rites. The illustrious couple immediately set
vol. ii. v
with, all the feathers, and lace, and pearls, and jewellery that it is possible to load them
with; neither do we pourtray oar belles as Dianas arrayed for the chase, as Bellonas
with spear and helm, or as piping shepherdesses with a lamb and crook, Let us peep
into Hampton Court, and see the Virgin Queen, exhibited in every stage of life from
infancy to age, and loaded alike in all with extravagant profusion of dress and ornament.
At the same time the artist was rigidly exact in point of resemblance.. It is curious to
observe the difference between the poets and the painters of that period in their descrip-
tions of royal personages. While the former launched out into the most extravagant
praises as to their personal charms, their youth, their beauty, and their noble qualities, the
latter, severely true, represented them precisely as they were. From, the poetry of
Spenser, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Philip Sidney, and others, one would imagine the
beauty of an Aspasia outrivalled, the graces of a Helen eclipsed. But Holbein and
Zucchero have given us very different ideas; they have faithfully and honestly done
their best to immortalise the lineaments of their royal mistress, in colours as true as
they deserve to be lasting. We feel grateful, too, that bluff old Harry had no courtly
flatterer—no Sir Thomas Lawrence of the day—to soften down, to generalize his stal-
wart proportions, or to idealize his countenance. He stands before us with his bold
swagger, and all his characteristic qualities, such as they were, unmistakeably delineated
in his features. Again, in the cold and unbending severity of the " Elizabeth" of the
same painter, who can recognise the "Gloriana" of Spenser, the unrivalled paragon of
perfection, so celebrated in the poetry of the times. In fact, in his courtly adulation,
in his disregard to truth, the portrait painter of the present day has lost ground, instead
of advancing in his art, and will, consequently, have less claim upon the. respect of
future generations, who would prefer, one would imagine, to see then' ancestors as they.
really looked and moved, and not as if their features were softened down and corrected
according to Gay's precept in the fable, from the Apollo and the Venus in the studio
of the painter. But it is time for us to leave the court of '' Gloriana," and that. of her
august sire, and.turn our attention to our own gracious Sovereign, whose portrait,
with that of her illustrious. Consort, we have the pleasure of presenting to our readers.
They were both objects of much attraction in the Crystal Palace, and were painted, on
china, after the originals, by Winterhalter j that of the Queen having been executed by
Madame A. Ducluzeau, and its companion by M. Antoine Beranger, of Paris •"* and to both
of these artists was awarded the honourable distinction of a prize medal. As a fitting
accompaniment we subjoin a brief memoir of the illustrious pair. The. language of
eulogy, when applied to kings and queens, generally becomes a direct falsehood, or sub-
sides into unmeaning commonplace. The graceless Charles II. was -? our most religious
king." The royal libertine, who spurned from his home and heart, and consigned to
an early grave, the wife he had sworn to cherish and protect, was hailed as " the first
gentleman of the age;" and thus it has ever been. . In the eyes of the world the graces
of royalty amply compensate for its vices. When royalty is spoken of, the language of
flattery only is heard j the censor speaks with bated breath. And thus the difficulty is
increased when, as in the case before us, the voice of praise is but the voice of truth.
In our sketch—as is but right—we must give the first place to our Sovereign Lady,
Queen Victoria. The incidents of her life may soon be told. Her father was his Royal
Highness Edward Duke of Kent, fifth child of George III. Her mother was Victoria
Maria Louisa of Saxe Coburg Saalfield, and was born at Coburg on the 17th of August,
1786. In her sixteenth year this amiable princess became the consort of the hereditary
Prince Leiningen; but after the birth of two children she became a widow, and was
married to the Duke of Kent on the 29th of May, 1818, with all due splendour, at
Coburg, in conformity with the Lutheran rites. The illustrious couple immediately set
vol. ii. v