Portrait of Tsar Alexander I of Russia, bust-length, in formal dress (illustrated); and Portrait of King George IV, bust-length, turned to the left

In these drawings, Agostino Aglio portrays two major figures of his time. Alexander I succeeded to the throne of Russia in March 1801 and ruled during the turbulence of the Napoleonic Wars. He was a mysterious figure, not only for the strange circumstances of his death in 1825, (his body has never been found) but for the complexity of his character and his contradictory attitude towards foreign policy and liberal reforms. Alexander's contemporary, George IV was Prince Regent for nine years until 1830. Infamous for his lavish lifestyle, bad health and stubborn personality, he was often a figure of contempt. The two men are said to have had an intense dislike for each other.