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King Edward VII

3 of 13 portraits by Thomas Heinrick Voigt

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King Edward VII

by Thomas Heinrick Voigt, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
bromide postcard print, published circa 1910 (1900s)
5 3/8 in. x 3 3/8 in. (137 mm x 87 mm) overall
Acquired, 1970
Photographs Collection
NPG x39946

Sitterback to top

  • King Edward VII (1841-1910), Reigned 1901-10. Sitter associated with 505 portraits.

Artistsback to top

Linked publicationsback to top

  • Gibson, Robin, The Face in the Corner: Animal Portraits from the Collections of the National Portrait Gallery, 1998, p. 70
  • Robin Gibson, Pets in Portraits, 2015, p. 107 Read entry

    Though better remembered for his beautiful Queen and for a number of famous mistresses, one of the most constant and faithful companions of Edward VII’s last years seems to have been the small terrier called Caesar. As can be seen from the numerous retouching around the dog, the photograph is in fact a fake, in which Caesar, who wore a collar inscribed ‘I am Caesar, the King’s dog’, was reunited with his master and the result issued as a postcard by an enterprising German photographer after the King’s death in 1910.

    Caesar, described unconvincingly as a long-haired fox terrier (though one of his parents may have answered to that description), had been the King’s constant companion in private life for seven years or so but shot to fame at the King’s funeral when he was delegated by Queen Alexandra to follow the coffin in the procession from Westminster Hall on its way to Windsor. An already emotional nation was moved to tears at the sight of the somewhat disreputable-looking terrier trotting behind the gun-carriage, and entrepreneurs were quick to produce suitable souvenirs like this postcard. One quick-witted publisher even brought out a memoir entitled Where’s Master?. According to Lord Esher, who went to tea at Buckingham Palace several weeks later, ‘Caesar ... won’t go near the Queen – and waits all day for his master, wandering about the house.’ There was indeed little love lost between Caesar and the Queen, who preferred rather better-bred dogs. ‘Horrid little dog,’ she exclaimed to Margot Asquith, whose husband had told her that he had seen Caesar after the King’s death lying at his feet: ‘For warmth, my dear,’ explained the Queen.

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1900back to top

Current affairs

The Conservatives return to power, after the Prime Minister Lord Salisbury calls a general election, known as the 'Khaki election', on the back of huge jingoistic support for the Boer War.
The Labour Representation Committee (LRC) is founded from a coalition of socialist groups; they win two seats in the 1900 election and Ramsay Macdonald is appointed secretary. The Labour politician Keir Hardie is also returned to Parliament for Merthyr Tydfilin Wales.

Art and science

German physicist Max Planck proposes the concept of the quantum theory. Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams is published. In the text, Freud outlines his theory of dream analysis, crucial to the study of the unconscious, and introduces key concepts in psychoanalysis, such as the Ego.
The Paris International Exhibition, attended by more than 50 million people and including over 76,000 exhibitors, marks the heyday of Art Nouveau.

International

In China the Boxer rebellion takes place. The Boxers were anti-imperialist and against foreign influence in trade, religion, politics and technology in the final years of the Manchu rule. The Boxers invade Beijing, killing 230 foreigners and Chinese Christians. The rebellion is suppressed by a multinational coalition of 20,000 troops, with China being forced to pay large war reparations, contributing to growing nationalist resentment against the Qing dynasty.

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