Handkerchief, "The Royal Family of Great Britain"
In order to interact with this document, you must have the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player.
Download Flash or View the Document
Britain's George III and Charlotte were married in 1761. This snuff handkerchief shows the royal couple surrounded by the ten children that were born in their first thirteen years of marriage. The queen holds the youngest boy, Frederick, born in February 1774.The handkerchief can be dated before April 1776, when their eleventh child was born.
Some of the children's clothing is based on seventeenth-century styles, especially those in the paintings of Flemish artist, Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641). Van Dyck-style garments were considered appropriate for portraiture because old-fashioned styles had a classic appearance, unlike modern clothing that would look dated in a few years.
