Queen Charlotte (1744-1818) with Members of her Family
Artist: Johan Joseph Zoffany (German, 1733-1810)
Date: c. 1771-1772
Medium: Oil on canvas
Collection: Royal Collection Trust, London, United Kingdom
Description
This painting records the presence in London in 1771 of both Queen Charlotte's beloved elder brothers, and must have been finished before Zoffany's departure for Florence in 1772.
Prince Karl of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1741-1816) stands on the Queen's right, wearing the order of St Andrew of Russia; Prince Ernst (1742-1814), stands to her left sporting the white eagle of Poland.
The scene shows the family are resting during a walk in the park, the over-excited children vying for the attention of a favorite uncle, Ernst. Charlotte wishes to show off her doll; William, held affectionately round the waist, seeks generally to monopolize and must be pushed aside by his mother so that she can get a word in edgeways. Karl watches indulgently from the sidelines.
