“The Princess of Wales” by Susan Durant

[Victorian Web Home —> Visual Arts —> Sculpture —> Susan Durant]

The Princess Christian (1844-1925)

Susan Durant (1827-1873)

Marble

1867

Albert Memorial Chapel, Windsor

This is one of Durant's portrait medallions of the royal family, for the top border of the tarsia panels in the nave. [Commentary continues below.]

[Click on the image to enlarge it, and mouse over the text for links.]

Text and photograph, cropped from one taken of Plate XLVIII in the Davisons' book,” by Jacqueline Banerjee.

By kind permission of the British Library.

Princess Christian was the daughter of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, who became King Christian IX of Denmark. But she is better known as Princess Alexandra of Denmark — or the Princess of Wales, since she married Prince Edward in 1863. "Alix," as she was called in the family, looks both gracious and refined here. On their first meeting, Queen Victoria had found her to be "gentle and dignified" (Ridley 72), and she was evidently perceived as such, but she tends to look quite stiff in other likenesses. This gives us a glimpse of Durant's gift for bringing out the living warmth of her subject. Another work that brings out this warmth is Alfred Gilbert's Alexandra Monument, not really a likeness — but the compassionate lineaments of the central crowned figure of love, shown supporting a child, clearly reflect her charitable efforts towards children as Queen Consort.

Related Material

Bibliography

Davison, Jane and Margaret. The Triqueti Marbles in the Albert Memorial Chapel, Windsor. A series of photographs executed by the Misses Davison. With a preface by Jane Davison (1876). Available at the British Library. General Reference Section 1762.d.3.

Ridley, Jane.Bertie: A Life of Edward VII. London: Chatto & Windus, 2012. [Review]

Created 22 May 2016