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Lot Essay
The culmination of the celebrations for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee was a brief Service of Thanksgiving, conducted on the steps of St Paul's. As she recorded in her Journal 'No one ever, I believe, has met with such an ovation as was given to me, passing through those six miles of streets, including Constitution Hill'.
John Charlton, a Northumbrian artist, had previously recorded the Golden Jubilee procession of 1887 by Royal command (see Sir Oliver Millar, The Pictures in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen, The Victorian Pictures, 1992, p. 46, no. 196, pl. 147). A decade later, he was commissioned to paint the Diamond Jubilee (see Millar, loc. cit., p. 47, no. 197, pl. 148). At the time of the commission, the Queen had not decided from what point the picture should be taken. Charlton was therefore asked to make sketches from various points of view and submit these for approval.
The present picture would appear to be worked up from one of the sketches, as the viewpoint is different from the much larger work measuring 81¼ x 117¼ in., now in the Royal Collection. The viewpoint selected by Queen Victoria shows the arrival of her carriage at St Paul's, preceded by the royal princes and an escort of Indian cavalry. The present picture shows the procession moving off, immediately after the service.
We are grateful to Desmond Shawe-Taylor, Lucy Whitaker and Vanessa Remington at The Royal Collection for their help in preparing this catalogue entry.
John Charlton, a Northumbrian artist, had previously recorded the Golden Jubilee procession of 1887 by Royal command (see Sir Oliver Millar, The Pictures in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen, The Victorian Pictures, 1992, p. 46, no. 196, pl. 147). A decade later, he was commissioned to paint the Diamond Jubilee (see Millar, loc. cit., p. 47, no. 197, pl. 148). At the time of the commission, the Queen had not decided from what point the picture should be taken. Charlton was therefore asked to make sketches from various points of view and submit these for approval.
The present picture would appear to be worked up from one of the sketches, as the viewpoint is different from the much larger work measuring 81¼ x 117¼ in., now in the Royal Collection. The viewpoint selected by Queen Victoria shows the arrival of her carriage at St Paul's, preceded by the royal princes and an escort of Indian cavalry. The present picture shows the procession moving off, immediately after the service.
We are grateful to Desmond Shawe-Taylor, Lucy Whitaker and Vanessa Remington at The Royal Collection for their help in preparing this catalogue entry.