- Title:
- Study for L'Adieu de Marie Stuart
- Object name(s):
- oil
- Brief description:
- oil sketch for the Adieu de Marie Stuart. ''After the death in 1560 of her husband, the teenage Francois II of France, in 1561 Mary Stuart resolved to return to Scotland. Inspired by the description of her departure from France in the book 'Lives of the Queens of Scotland' (1852), Frith's painting 'L'Adieu de Marie Stuart' was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1893 accompanied by these lines from a poem by Beranger: 'Adieu charmant pays de France, Que Je dois tant cherir. Berceau de mon heureuse enfance, Adieu! Te quitter c'est mourir'. Frith's model for the picture was a young woman named Arabella Eyre whom he had met at a ball. He gave her this study of herself as a thank-you present, and it was presented to the Mercer Art Gallery in 1992 by Arabella's grand-daughter'' - extract from display panel, The Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate Museums and Arts.
- Collection:
- Mercer Art Gallery
- Credit line:
- This collection is part of North Yorkshire Council Museums.
- Current reproduction location:
- images\fineart\medium\2058.jpg
- Dimension:
- height
- Dimension value:
- 30.3cm
- Dimension:
- width
- Dimension value:
- 25.3cm
- Inscription content:
- : : : :
- Number of objects:
- 1
- Object component name:
- material
- Object component name:
- support
- Object name:
- oil
- Object number:
- HARAG : 2058
- Object production note:
- According to a letter to curator Jane Sellars from Patricia M. Swallow dated 9.6.2009: Writing on behalf of Miss Annabella Eyre (model for one of Firth's Marie Stuart Leaving France' paintings) and Sarah Lane, the great grandaughter of Annabella Eyre. The letter enquires about the Marie Stuart painting in possession at Mercer. Patricia Swallow offers the following information: 'The painting was part of the family home and regarded with familiarity. It was thought to be valuable but not enough to be kept in the bank. When the family were away from home for any period the portraint was hidden in the bed. The will of Sarah Lane's mother Inez Annabella Alice Heyn (maiden name) stated that after the daughters had died it had to go to Harrogate Art Gallery, and this happened when Sarah received the painting and decided that she didnt want the responsibility. Sarah's grandparents and their respective families lived in Belgium but Sarah isnt sure if great grandmothers also lived there. Apparently Annabella Eyre couldnt receive payment for modelling for the painting because of their social position; that is why W.P. Frith painted her portrait instead.' Full letter located in file.
- Object production person:
- Frith, William Powell
Persistent shareable link for this record: https://museumdata.uk/objects/28238288-021e-3704-b53d-e5d20ce90f68
Use licence for this record: CC BY
Attribution for this record: https://museumdata.uk/objects/28238288-021e-3704-b53d-e5d20ce90f68, Mercer Art Gallery, CC BY
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