after Richard Westall (Hertford, 1765 - 1836, London)
Mary, Queen of Scots Leaving Scotland, 1794
Mezzotint, 32.1 x 43.8 cm (12 5/8 x 17 1/4 in.)
This mezzotint print is done in grayscale in rich, realistic detail. It shows Mary Queen of Scots in the center of a tumultuous scene. She sits atop a frightened white horse who is reluctantly being coaxed into a river by a foot soldier who holds its reins. Mary is surrounded by soldiers in helmets and armor who are carrying long spears. Most of them look toward her. Some are on horseback but others ford the stream on foot. A heavily robed man wearing a mitre and a scraggly white beard wades into the water, grabs Mary’s reins, and looks at her beseechingly. She smiles confidently and raises one arm as she leans down toward the man. Mary wears a plumed hat, a thick white lace ruff, and her white shawl trails behind her as she breaks away. A frightened young man wearing a kilt, plumed hat, and lace ruff with a sword on his belt and staff in his hand watches her departure with consternation or horror. A child and two adults cry and pray on the shore behind the departing queen and her army. A castle with a large flag is visible on a hill in the distance and a few soldiers walk toward the river in the middle ground.
Yellow Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.