Etchings of family life show the softer side of Queen Victoria
QUEEN VICTORIA’S “affectionate” drawings of her children, which cast doubt on her reputation as an austere mother, are to go on display for the first time.
Rare etchings made by the monarch and Prince Albert in the early years of their marriage will be exhibited by the British Museum in London to mark the bicentenary of her birth.
They were created by Victoria and Albert in the 1840s, and will feature among 20 artworks largely focusing on their family life at Windsor Castle and the Claremont estate in Surrey.
The royals had only wanted their artworks to be seen by close friends and family, but King George V – Victoria’s grandson – donated them to the British Museum in 1926.
The exhibit will mark the first time they have been on public display.
Sheila O’connell, curator of prints and drawings at the British Museum, said: “As parents, both Victoria and Albert have been much criticised but these images show them in a completely different light.
“The scenes Victoria depicts in her drawings show her to be a very affectionate mother, and it’s clear that both she and Albert enjoyed spending time with their children. We’re delighted that we can now put these works on display for the first time since King George V donated them to us.”
She said it was the “perfect way to celebrate these towering figures of British history, who were also enthusiastic artists”.
The free display, called At Home: Royal Etchings by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, runs from July to Sept.