Label Type
Exhibition labelLabel
Richard Houston (ca. 1721-1775), Irish
after Thomas Worlidge (1700-1766), British
George II, ca. 1753-1775
Ink on paper mezzotint
2021.05.05
Neither Queen Mary nor Queen Anne had living heirs, so the crown of England was offered to George II’s father, creating the Hanoverian line that rules England today. Images of monarchs in profile stretch all the way back to the ancient world. The practice was adopted during the Renaissance and then again in the 18th century. Later rulers used this trope to link to the powerful empires of the past. This is even more evident in the 1746 half-crown coin of George II. George was famous for his large nose and bulging blue eyes, evident in this image. The artist has also meticulously recorded the delicate lace, soft velvet, and rich embroidery of his clothes.