King George and Queen Charlotte (Projected Chimney Pieces for the Royal Society of Arts)

Inscription: in plate below image: "Published According to Act of Parliament May 1st. 1791 by James Barry R A Proffessor [sic] of Painting to the Royal Academy"
in plate below image [text discussing intended placement of the two figures]: "These two Sketches were Intended to have been Painted as the two Grand Centres over the Chinmies in the Great Room of the Society for the Encouragement of Art &c at the Adelphi: one intending to represent the King in the Year 1761 Recommending to both Houses of Parliament a Bill for the Independence of the judges. The other representing the Queen at Windsor in the Superintendance of a Scene of Domestic Education. As it was the opinion of the Author that these or such Scenes were a Just tribute to the Virtue of his own Time and would happily Coincide with his Views in the other Six Pictures on Human Cultures & from one Interesting Part in the same Integral or Totality And as he was not enabled to add these to the others he is happy to have it in his power at Least to Shew the whole of what he intended by adding these two Sketches to the Engravings of the rest of the Work which the Good Providence of God has enabled him to execute. Had these two Subjects been introduced the Arangement would then be 1st Orpheus instructing a Savage People in Theology and the Arts of Social Life. 2d His Majesty recommending a Law for the Independence of the Administrators of Justice. 3d. A Grecian Harvest Home or the Festival of Ceres & Bacchus. 4th.The Diagorides Victors at Olympia 5th. The Thames or the Triumph of Navigation. 6th. The Queen or Domestic Education at Windsor 7th. The Society for the Encouragement of the Arts in the distribution of their Annual Premieums [sic] 8th. Elysium and Tartarus or the State of Final Retribution."

Vendor: Christopher Mendez, London

Pressly 1981.23 iv/v; Pressly 1983.35

William L. Pressly The Life and Art of James Barry. New Haven and London, 1981, cat. no. 23 iv/v, pp. 127, 274-5.

William L. Pressly James Barry: The Artist as Hero. Exh. cat., Tate Gallery, London, February 9–March 20. 1983, cat. no. 35, p. 90, ill.