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Lot 132: Andreas Henry Groth (German, active circa 1739-1753) Augusta, Princess of Wales (1719–1772), wearing blue robe with ermine trim, slashed at the sleeve to reveal white chemise, cerise mantle, diamond pendent earrings, her powdered hair upswept and

Est: £600 GBP - £800 GBPSold:
BonhamsLondon, United KingdomMay 25, 2011

Item Overview

Description

Augusta, Princess of Wales (1719–1772), wearing blue robe with ermine trim, slashed at the sleeve to reveal white chemise, cerise mantle, diamond pendent earrings, her powdered hair upswept and dressed with pearls and a ruby.
Enamel, signed on the obverse with initial G, gold bracelet clasp mount, the reverse engraved erroneously L. Caroline/ Died 1737./ Zincke./ Royal Colυon.
Oval, 28mm (1 1/8in) high

Artist or Maker

Notes


The present lot relates to an identically sized signed miniature by Groth of Princess Elizabeth Caroline, second daughter of the present sitter in the Royal Collection (see R. Walker, Miniatures in the Collection of her Majesty the Queen, 1992, p.54, no.107).

Princess Augusta, daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst, married in 1736, Frederick, Prince of Wales, eldest son of King George II and Queen Caroline. Augusta and Frederick had nine children, the last born after Frederick's death. The birth of their first daughter, Princess Augusta, in 1737, took place at St James's after Augusta was forced by Frederick to travel from Hampton Court Palace while in labour, to prevent his hated parents from being present at the birth.

Throughout their marriage, Augusta went along with her husband's feud with his parents. Following Frederick's death, she was named prospective regent. Shortly afterwards, rumours spread that she was having an affair with John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, her son's tutor. Both were pilloried in the press and Augusta suffered widespread hostility from the public. After she died of cancer of the throat, her funeral procession attracted troublemakers who followed the coffin to the grave shouting insults.

Auction Details

Fine Portrait Miniatures

by
Bonhams
May 25, 2011, 12:00 PM GMT

Montpelier Street Knightsbridge, London, LDN, SW7 1HH, UK