Name/Title
Equestrian Portrait of King Edward VII when HRH Prince of Wales, as a 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) HussarEntry/Object ID
2001.01.03Description
Sculpture
This portrait sculpture depicts King Edward VII (1841-1910) as a mounted hussar when he was still HRH Prince of Wales, at about age 20. King Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India from 1901 until his death at age 68 nine years later. He was the eldest son and second child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and was known as "Bertie" within the family.Type of Sculpture
Free StandingArtwork Details
Medium
Cast bronzeSubject Place
Region
Western EuropeContinent
EuropeContext
HRH Prince of Wales is dressed as a hussar with its distinctive regalia and equipment, a member of a class of light cavalry who used fast horses to fight skirmish battles and do scout work, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. Raised in 1715, the now 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) regiment was ordered by King George III in 1783 to switch from dragoons to light dragoons and he renamed it after his eldest son, the Prince of Wales (the future George IV) who renamed, re-clothed and re-equipped it as Britain’s first ever hussar unit in 1806. He remained its colonel until his coronation in 1820.
In 1969 the 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) and the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own), both raised in 1715, merged to form The Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales’s Own) armoured regiment. It served with the British Army until 1992, when it was merged into The King’s Royal Hussars.
Early Hussars were known for their dashing and sometimes impulsive behaviour, as well as their handsome and colourful uniforms. The 10th Hussars followed in this tradition and they were commonly called ‘The Shiny 10th’ or ‘The Chainy 10th’ because of the chain mail epaulettes worn by the officers and the elaborate uniform cross belt. Of note, the regiment is credited with first introducing the game of polo to England in 1834.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Remington ClarkeRole
SculptorDate made
circa 1860Time Period
19th CenturyNotes
SCULPTOR BIOGRAPHY
Further research is needed. Four auction references to similar equestrian portrait sculptures of King Edward VII when HRH Prince of Wales have been identified to date (1991, 2004, 2007 and 2018), but no information was provided on the sculptor.Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
InscriptionLocation
Right base: Remington Clarke Sc.
Right side base: Registro (meaning registered in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese)?Acquisition
Acquisition Method
Legacy collection - detail unknownNotes
May have been a donation by or purchase from Mr. Ralph MacKern Sketch, former UCBC artist (2001.01.29) and member. See file.