QUEEN ALEXANDRA'S BRIDESMAIDS

Creator(s): Unknown (Miniaturist) , William Powell Frith (After)

Currently in storage

About this object

This watercolor portrait shows three young women, three-quarter length, clustered together in an open-air setting and framed by a balustrade with a marble urn of flowers at the left. All three wear white dresses of the period with wreaths of roses in their hair. A label on the back of the watercolor identifies the subjects as "Lady Emily Bruce, Lady Victoria Scott, Lady Emily Villiers Three of Queen Alexandra's bridesmaids painted in 1863 on one piece of ivory..." Princess Alexandra of Denmark (1844-1925) was the oldest daughter of Prince Christian of Gluecksburg (later King Christian IX of Denmark). She married Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) on March 10, 1863. She was crowned Queen Consort of the United Kingdom with Edward VII on August 9, 1902.

Small group portrait is painted on a large piece of ivory. It has an elaborate gold colored frame, which curves at the top opening. Shown are three young ladies, standing three quarters length. The center one is leaning on a balustrade, which is seen to the right. There is a marble urn with flowers on top of a pedestal to the left. All three are dressed in décolleté white dresses with lace-trimmed bodices and at the bottom of the dress. They wear wreaths of roses in their hair, which is parted in the middle and combed straight back, ending in a braid at the nape of the neck. The young woman at the left has a violet colored shawl around her shoulders. She wears a string of pearls around her neck. She is visible only from the head and her right shoulder. The woman at the right has a red shawl with gold stripes near the ends. She has a dark choker around her neck and is turned to the left and stand in front of the central woman. She appears to be sitting and she carries a lorgnette in her right hand. The central woman has a corsage of roses pinned to the center of her dress and she has a bracelet on her right wrist. In the distance to the right is a small landscape.

Object name:

QUEEN ALEXANDRA'S BRIDESMAIDS

Made from:

Watercolor on ivory

Made in:

London, England

Date made:

1863

Size:

22.2 × 17 cm (8 3/4 × 6 11/16 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:

53.12

Class:

MINIATURE

Signature marks:

LABEL on back: Lady Emily Bruce, Lady Victoria Scott, Lady Emily Villiers Three of Queen Alexandra's bridesmaids painted in 1863 on one piece of ivory 1271

Credit line:

Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973