Left: Whole painting. Right: Closer view of the three younger children's faces.
The Four Eldest Children of Crown Prince and Princess Frederick William of Prussia, showing Prince William (1859-1941), Princess Charlotte (1860-1919), Prince Henry (1862-1929) & Prince Sigismund (1864-6), by Georg Koberwein (1820-1876). 1865. 76.5 x 64.1 cm (support, canvas/panel/stretcher external). RCIN 403636. Reproduced by kind permission of the Royal Collection Trust/ © His Majesty King Charles III). [Click on the images to enlarge them.]
The Crown Princess referred to here was Princess Victoria, the Queen's eldest daughter, so these were the Queen's grandchildren. They had been staying with her, and the Princess had commissioned this painting as a Christmas gift for her. Unfortunately, the Princess herself was not pleased with the result: "poor Ditta [Charlotte] is not flattered & her legs and arms are all out of drawing – I am really sorry – as it promised to be nice’" (qtd. in The Four Eldest Children...). As elsewhere, Koberweim had made use of photographs for his likenesses, at least for two of the children. The older boy, Prince William, looks suitably princely in his Highland attire. He was better known as Prince Wilhelm, the future Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia. As usual, one of his arms is hidden: it had been damaged during a difficult birth, and was shorter than the other arm. This is managed well enough: Princess Victoria's complaint was only about the depiction of Charlotte, whose appearance seems too plain, and whose legs seem rather awkwardly crossed behind her. Nevertheless, it seems in general a pleasant and natural grouping. The Queen herself must have been satisfied with it, since she continued to patronise Koberwein. — Jacqueline Banerjee.
Bibliography
The Four Eldest Children of Crown Prince and Princess Frederick William of Prussia. Royal Collection Trust. Web. 13 October 2024.
Created 13 October 2024