Maria Scotorv Regin et Franciae Dotaria, from "Heads of the Kings of England, and of several Famous Persons"

Art Historical Context

This 1735 etching and engraving by George Vertue presents Mary, Queen of Scots as part of his ambitious series “Heads of the of England, and of Famous Persons,” published after Paul de Rapin de Thoyras’s historical text. The Latin title identifies her as “Maria Scotorum Regina et Franciae Dotaria,” highlighting her dual role as Scottish sovereign and dowager queen of France. Created nearly 150 years after her execution, the print forms part of an 18th-century project to give visual form to Britain’s royal and notable figures for a growing reading public. Vertue’s skilled use of etching and engraving allowed for crisp lines and subtle tonal effects, ideal for reproducing portraits and heraldic details. The composition includes a coat of arms and symbolic elements such as skulls, which evoke both royal lineage and the theme of mortality. Measuring roughly 11½ by 7½ inches, the trimmed sheet exemplifies the intimate scale typical of these historical print collections. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the work reflects the Enlightenment interest in documented national history while preserving Mary’s enduring image as a figure of tragedy and political intrigue.