Queen Victoria opening her first Parliament
4 of 18 portraits by George Baxter
Queen Victoria opening her first Parliament
by George Baxter
aquatint, 1837 or after
24 3/4 in. x 18 7/8 in. (630 mm x 480 mm) paper size
Acquired, 1961
Reference Collection
NPG D33616
Sittersback to top
- Charles Pepys, 1st Earl of Cottenham (1781-1851), Lord Chancellor. Sitter in 14 portraits. Identify
- Queen Victoria (1819-1901), Reigned 1837-1901. Sitter associated with 548 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 5 portraits. Identify
Artistback to top
- George Baxter (1804-1867), Artist. Artist or producer associated with 18 portraits.
Placesback to top
- Place portrayed: United Kingdom: England, London (House of Lords, Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London)
Subjects & Themesback to top
Events of 1837back to top
Current affairs
The controversial monarch William IV dies of pneumonia in June leaving no legitimate heirs, and is succeeded to the throne by his niece Victoria, one month after her eighteenth birthday.The Registration Act of Births, Marriages and Deaths makes it compulsory for all births, marriages and deaths to be registered at a Registry Office.
Art and science
Dickens's second novel Oliver Twist is serialised in Bentley's Magazine. The story of the orphan Oliver is an attack on the Poor Law Amendment Acts (1834), a highly contentious piece of legislation which abolished outdoor relief, effectively increasing entry in the workhouse. The novel, famously made into a musical in 1968, marks Dickens as an outspoken social critic as well as a highly popular and commercial writer.International
The Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin is killed in a duel with Baron Georges d'Anthès. Considered the founder of modern Russian literature, Pushkin blended Old Slavonic with vernacular Russian and was the first Russian writer to use everyday speech in his poetry. His works include Eugene Onegin.Comments back to top
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