Mary, Queen of Scots
Medium
Hand-colored reproductive engraving with lozenge and dot technique
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed): 4 5/8 × 3 7/16 in. (11.7 × 8.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Susan Dwight Bliss, 1958
Accession Number
58.549.454
Tags
Art Historical Context
This hand-colored engraving captures Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1587), one of the most compelling figures in British history. Born into the Scottish throne as an infant, Mary’s life was marked by political intrigue, multiple marriages, and eventual imprisonment by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I, culminating in her execution in 1587. Created around 1833, long after her death, the print reflects the 19th-century fascination with romanticized historical heroines, presenting her as both a regal sovereign and a tragic woman. William Home Lizars, a Scottish engraver and publisher, produced this repro...