George Dawe (1781-1829) British. A Half Length Portrait of P...

Estimate

£6,000 - £8,000

George Dawe (1781-1829) British. A Half Length Portrait of Princess Charlotte of Wales, Oil on canvas, In a fine carved giltwood frame, 32" x 25.75" (81.3 x 65.4cm)
Notes: The sitter, Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales, was the only legitimate child of The
Prince Regent, later King George IV. She died aged twenty-two in November 1817, only
eighteen months after marrying Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld. Earlier in 1817 The nation rejoiced at the news of Charlotte’s pregnancy. Her favourite painter, George
Dawe had been at the home of the royal couple, Claremont Lodge near Esher, working on a “new likeness” of the Princess, but when she found the sittings too tiring, they were suspended and
the “the picture was removed to the residence of the artist” just a fortnight before the birth of
her stillborn son and her death a few hours later. The unfinished study was immediately sent
for by Prince Leopold and was returned to him at Claremont before the coffin had left the
house. This portrait could possibly be that painting.
Here, the Princess wears her wedding ring on her right hand, as it would have been when placed on her finger by Leopold at their marriage ceremony. This was in accordance with German tradition. A fine gold chain loops round her neck and underneath her breasts next to her skin, possibly suspending a love-token or keepsake next to her heart; an intimate detail reproduced elsewhere only in copies. Variants show the wedding ring on her left hand, to accord with British practice and to avoid possible criticism of the engravings which were being rushed out to satisfy an eager public.
Prince Leopold’s sister was married to Grand Duke Constantine of Russia, (brother of Tsar
Alexander I). Only months before Charlotte’s tragic death the younger brother, Grand Duke
Nicholas, later Tsar Nicholas I, paid the Royal couple a surprise visit at Claremont Lodge. He gave her the traditional Russian dress of Saxe blue silk she
wears in the portrait, along with the diamond encrusted Star of the (women only) order of
St. Catherine of Russia bestowed by the Empress of Russia, which is clearly depicted on her left breast. Her Russian dress is still owned by the Royal Collections Trust. The silk is in good condition and is like that seen here -many shades lighter than the Royal blue of the larger,
highly finished portrait in the National Portrait Gallery, in which the lowly striped muslin
shift of this likeness is replaced by a luxurious lace blouse, probably deemed more suitable
for a Princess.
Literature: Robert Huish, Memoirs of the Princess Charlotte of Saxe Coburg,1817 p 676. A contemporary calf-bound copy of which is included in the sale, together with "The Life of the Late Princess Charlotte"