'The Music Party'

Sittersback to top

• Princess Amelia Sophia Eleanora (1711-1786), Second daughter of George II. Sitter associated with 7 portraits.
• Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange (1709-1759), Daughter of King George II; wife of William Charles Henry Friso, Prince of Orange. Sitter associated with 24 portraits.
• Princess Caroline Elizabeth (1713-1757), Daughter of George II. Sitter associated with 13 portraits.
• Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales (1707-1751), Son of George II; father of George III. Sitter associated with 35 portraits.

Artistback to top

• Philip Mercier (1691-1760), Portrait painter. Artist associated with 26 portraits, Sitter in 3 portraits.

This portraitback to top

George II did not allow his son Frederick to come to London until the age of twenty. The prince soon established himself as a focus of political opposition to his father and became the patron of the most avant-garde artists of the time. In this portrait the 26-year-old Prince is shown playing the bass-viol with three of his younger sisters; from left to right, Anne, Princess Royal (age 24) at the harpsicord, Princess Caroline (age 20) plucking a mandora (a form of lute) and Princess Amelia (age 22) reading from Milton. In the background is the Dutch House at Kew where Anne lived before her marriage in 1734 to Prince William of Orange. The suggestion of harmony between the siblings belies the antipathy felt by his family for Frederick; it is said that he was hardly on speaking terms with Anne in the year that this portrait was painted.

Linked publicationsback to top

• Audio Guide
• I-Spy National Portrait Gallery, 2010, p. 25
• Bennett, Sue, Five Centuries of Women and Gardens, 2000 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 5 October 2000 to 21 January 2001), p. 57
• Kerslake, John, Early Georgian Portraits, 1977, p. 338
• Ribeiro, Aileen, The Gallery of Fashion, 2000, p. 109
• Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery: An Illustrated Guide, 2000, p. 88
• Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 88
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 713

Subjects & Themesback to top

• Books and libraries
• Buildings and architecture
• Events and occasions
• Family portraits
• Group portraits
• Hats and head-attire
• Landscapes
• Making music
• Reading