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Queen Mary II lying in state
Overton, John, born 1640 - died 1708 - Enlarge image
Queen Mary II lying in state
- Object:
Print
- Place of origin:
London, England (published)
- Date:
1695 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Overton, John, born 1640 - died 1708 (publisher)
- Materials and Techniques:
Engraving, ink on paper
- Credit Line:
Given by Edgar Seligman
- Museum number:
E.4092-1960
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 54b, case 14, shelf D2
Object Type
This print is an engraving. The image was made by cutting lines into the surface of a flat piece of metal, inking the plate and then transferring the ink held in the lines on to a sheet of paper.
Subject Depicted
Mary II died on the 28 December 1694. Her embalmed corpse was taken to Whitehall Palace, London, where the body remained until the funeral in Westminster Abbey on the 5 March 1695. Although this print claims to show the Queen lying in state, it does not match contemporary accounts of the scene. These describe a coffin on which were placed cushions bearing the crown, sceptre, orb, sword and gauntlet.
In fact, the effigy and tomb-like structure in this print are copied from an earlier print of 1620. The earlier one shows the tomb of Elizabeth I and was published in Heroologia Anglica, a collection of plates showing images of famous English men and women. It is unlikely that the anonymous engraver actually saw Queen Mary lying in state. Instead, he has used the effigy and tomb in the earlier print as a model for his portrayal of the temporary dais on which, in reality, the coffin rested before the funeral.
Ownership & Use
Queen Mary was extremely popular with her subjects and this type of print served as a powerful expression of public grief at her death. There would have been a huge demand for such images and printmakers would have been keen to cater for this demand.
