Palace of Westminster: Difference between revisions

The theme of the Prince's Chamber is Tudor history, and 28 oil portraits painted on panels around the room depict members of the [[Tudor dynasty]]. They are the work of [[Richard Burchett]] and his pupils, and their creation entailed extensive research, which contributed to the founding of the [[National Portrait Gallery, London|National Portrait Gallery]] in 1856. 12 bronze bas-reliefs are set into the wall below the portraits, executed by [[William Theed]] in 1855–1857.<ref name="Lords Route tour" /> Scenes included are ''The [[Field of the Cloth of Gold]]'', ''The Escape of [[Mary, Queen of Scots]]'' and ''[[Walter Raleigh|Raleigh]] Spreading His Cloak As a Carpet for the Queen''.<ref>[[#Guide|''Guide to the Palace of Westminster'']], pp. 32–33.</ref> Above the portraits, at window level, thereare copies of six of the ten [[Armada tapestries]], which hung in the chamber of the House of Lords until their destruction in the 1834 fire and depicted the defeat of the [[Spanish Armada]] in 1588. The project was put on hold in 1861 (by which time only one painting had been completed), and was not revived until 2007; {{As of|2010|8|lc=on}}, all six paintings are now in their intended places.

The room also contains a statue of Queen Victoria, seated on a throne (itself placed on a pedestal) and holding a sceptre and a laurel crown, which show that she both governs and rules.<ref name="Lords Route tour" /> This figure is flanked by allegorical statues of Justice and Clemency—theClemency, the former with a bare sword and an inflexible expression and the latter showing sympathy and offering an olive branch.<ref>[[#Fell|Fell and Mackenzie (1994)]], p. 38; [[#Riding|Riding and Riding (2000)]], p. 262.</ref> The sculptural ensemble, made of white marble and carved by [[John Gibson (sculptor)|John Gibson]] in 1855, reaches {{Convert|2.44|m|ft|0}} in height; its size has long been considered out of proportion with the fittings of the Prince's Chamber, and the flanking statues ended up in storage between 1955 and 1976. However, the size and location of the group, in the archway opposite the doors to the Royal Gallery (which are removed before State Openings of Parliament to facilitate the royal procession), indicate that it was meant to be seen from a distance, and to symbolically remind the monarch of their royal duties as they would walk down the Royal Gallery on their way to deliver their speech.<ref name="Lords Route tour" /><ref>[[#Riding|Riding and Riding (2000)]], p. 253.</ref>