Mary, Queen of Scots, from "The History of England"
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 14 7/8 × 8 7/8 in. (37.8 × 22.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Susan Dwight Bliss, 1958
Accession Number
58.549.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
This engraving of Mary, Queen of Scots, created in 1773 for Paul de Rapin de Thoyras’s “The History of England,” captures the ill-fated monarch in a formal portrait that emphasizes her royal lineage. The print, likely based on an earlier design associated with Isaac Oliver and engraved by Robert Sheppard, shows Mary with the symbols of her sovereignty, including a prominent coat of arms. Produced more than 180 years after her execution in 1587, the image reflects the enduring fascination with her dramatic life story in 18th-century Britain. As an engraving, the work belongs to a medium prized...