Queen of Edward IV parting with the Duke of York by Order of Richard III

Art Historical Context

In this poignant drawing, *Queen of Edward IV Parting with the Duke of by Order of Richard III Giovanni Battista Cipriani a heart-wrenching moment from history. The scene depicts Queen Elizabeth Woodville, widow of King Edward IV, bidding farewell to her young son, Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, under the command of his uncle, Richard III. This evokes the infamous "Princes in the Tower" during the Wars of the Roses a tale immortalized in Shakespeare's *Richard*, symbolizing betrayal, power struggles, and maternal anguish in late 15th-century England. Cipriani, an Italian artist who flourished in 18th-century Britain, renders the drama with neoclassical elegance, blending historical narrative with emotional intensity. Executed in black chalk accented by subtle touches of red chalk on cream wove paper (26.7 × 36.5 cm), the work's delicate medium allows for nuanced shading and expressive gestures, highlighting the queen's sorrowful poise and the boy's innocence. Laid down on another sheet for preservation, it exemplifies the preparatory finesse of drawings from the Prints and Drawings department at the Art Institute of Chicago. This undated study invites visitors to ponder how 18th-century artists reimagined medieval tragedy, bridging Renaissance intrigue with Enlightenment sensibilities in a format perfect for intimate contemplation.

About the Artist

Giovanni Battista Cipriani · 1766–1839

Giovanni Battista Cipriani was born on April 20, 1766, in Siena, Italy, to Simon Pietro Cipriani and Eva Bandini. He grew up alongside his brothers Barbato, a sculptor, and Galgano, an engraver, in a family immersed in the arts. Cipriani began his education studying Latin and mathematics before pursuing fine arts under the sculptor and architect Giuseppe Silini in Siena.) His talent earned him a p...