Sophia Dorothea, Queen of Prussia

This portraitback to top

A pair with the copy of Kneller's portrait of her father George I, NPG 489 apparently derives from J. Smith's engraving of 1706 (J. Chaloner Smith, British Mezzotinto Portraits, 1878-83, 206), lettered I. Hirseman pinx. after the portrait by J. L. Hirschmann painted probably in Berlin at the time of her marriage. An English source for Smith's engraving is not yet established. A possibility is the three-quarter length with similar face mask at Blenheim attributed to H. H. Quiter when exhibited 'House of Guelph', 1891 (1). Although lent by the Duke of Marlborough to the Second Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1867 (199) as the sitter's mother Sophia Dorothea, Electress of Hanover, the portrait surely represents the sitter. A miniature of the same type was sketched by Scharf [1] in 1862 when on loan to South Kensington (2005) from the Marquess of Bristol's collection at Ickworth.

Footnotesback to top

1) Sir George Scharf's Sketchbooks, vol.63, p 90.

Physical descriptionback to top

Dark eyes, finely marked eyebrows, full lips, long fair hair dressed with strings of pearl falling over her right shoulder; loose blue dress fastened with two black brooches; another brooch on the ermine-edged cloak on her left shoulder.

Conservationback to top

Varnish now discoloured.

Provenanceback to top

Bought, 1877, with NPG 488 (see George I) from C. H. Waters; earlier history unknown.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Kerslake, Early Georgian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1977, 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.

View all known portraits for Sophia Dorothea, Queen of Prussia