Maria Clementina Sobieska
- Overview
- Extended Catalogue Entry
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Maria Clementina Sobieska
by Otto Hamerani
bronze medal, 1719
1 7/8 in. (48 mm) diameter
Given by Sir Charles John Holmes, 1912
Primary Collection
NPG 1686
Sitterback to top
- Maria Clementina Sobieska (1702-1735), Wife of Prince James Francis Edward Stuart. Sitter in 10 portraits.
This portraitback to top
The medal commemorates the Princess's dramatic escape from Innsbruck in 1719, where she was held at the request of King George I. It was struck after news of the negotiations for her marriage to Prince James Francis Edward Stuart, the 'Old Pretender', became known. More detailed information on this portrait is available in a National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue, John Kerslake's Early Georgian Portraits (1977, out of print).
Linked publicationsback to top
- Kerslake, John, Early Georgian Portraits, 1977, p. 179
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 410
Events of 1719back to top
Current affairs
Spanish invasion of Scotland fails. British forces defeat an alliance of Jacobite and Spanish forces led by George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal, amongst others, at the Battle of Glen Shiel.South Sea Company proposes a scheme under which it will buy more than half of Britain's national debt in exchange for trading concessions.
Art and science
Pugilist James Figg claims to be the first English bare-knuckle boxing champion; a title he will hold until the 1730s.Eliza Haywood launches her writing career with the best-selling novel Love in Excess, recounting the amorous escapades of the rake Count D'Elmont.
Daniel Defoe publishes his novel Robinson Crusoe.
International
War of the Quadruple Alliance: French army under James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick invades the Basque provinces of Spain but suffers heavy losses due to disease. George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington assists in the taking of Messina and destroys the remaining Spanish fleet.Prussia conducts Europe's first systematic census.
Principality of Liechtenstein is created within the Holy Roman Empire.
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.