Sir David Wilkie, R.A. (Fife 1745-1841 at sea)

Portrait study of King George IV in highland dress at Holyrood Palace; and An archer and a group of women at Holyrood Palace

Details

Sir David Wilkie, R.A. (Fife 1745-1841 at sea)
Portrait study of King George IV in highland dress at Holyrood Palace; and An archer and a group of women at Holyrood Palace
one signed, inscribed and dated 'D Wilkie Edinb^r 1822' (lower left) and one signed, inscribed and dated 'D Wilkie Edinb^r 1822' (lower centre)
pencil and watercolour, one with touches of bodycolour
7½ x 5 3/8 in. (19 x 13.7 cm.); and 7¾ x 5¼ in. (19.7 x 13.3 cm.) (2)

Provenance

Anonymous sale; Christie's, Edinburgh, 1 November 2001, lot 231.
with Agnew's, London, 2002, no. 37.

Exhibited

London, W/S Fine Art, Summer 2006, nos. 31 and 32.
one London, W/S Fine Art, Summer 2009, no. 53.

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Lot Essay

Wilkie was presented to the King at the Levée at Holyrood on 17 August 1822. The present drawings form part of Wilkie's preparation for his oil painting The Entrance of George IV at Holyrood House. A further drawing made at the same time, Incident during George IV's Visit, is in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. The finished painting was exhibited at The Royal Academy in 1830 and is now in the Royal Collection; a half-size oil version (Scottish National Portrait Gallery) is dated 1828. The King's visit to Edinburgh from 14 to 29 August 1822 was the first by a monarch of the United Kingdom. As such, it was a powerful symbolic event, attended by elaborate pageantry, much of which was devised by Sir Walter Scott.

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