Queen Adelaide (Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen)

This portraitback to top

The early history of this portrait is unknown. It is a version of Beechey's full-length portrait of Queen Adelaide in evening dress at Trinity House, London, exhibited RA, 1831 (66). In the NPG version, the Queen is wearing earrings, her pearl tiara appears twice between her ringlets as well as across her forehead, she holds a larger bouquet, and her features differ from those in the Trinity House portrait. Otherwise the two portraits are very similar in pose and treatment, save that the NPG version is half-length, and does not include the pillar or distant view. A full-length replica of the Trinity House portrait was in the Beechey Sale, Christie's, 11 June 1836 (lot 73). The Trinity House portrait was engraved by S. W. Reynolds, published Colnaghi, 1831 (example in NPG). A half-length engraving, also by Reynolds, was published Colnaghi, 1834 (example in NPG). Another engraving by T. Lupton, published W. Sams, 1834 (example in NPG), is based on the Trinity House portrait, but does not include the lace head-dress.
A different portrait-type of Queen Adelaide by Beechey, showing her full-length, seated at a table holding an eye-glass, was in the collection of the Duke of Cambridge (reproduction in British Museum). It was probably the unnamed portrait exhibited Victorian Era Exhibition, 1897, 'History Section', p 51 (568), lent by the Duke of Cambridge.

Physical descriptionback to top

Fresh complexion, blue eyes, brown hair. Dressed in a blue velvet dress with white lace ruff and sleeves, gold chain and locket, and gold and diamond brooch and earrings. Holding a red and white rose. Red curtain behind. Background lower left coloured light brown.

Provenanceback to top

Messrs Leggatt, purchased from them, 1909.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Ormond, Early Victorian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1973, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.

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