Mary, Queen of Scots 1771 - 1799

This print of Mary, Queen of Scots was made by W. Proud. Mary, Queen of Scots, has long held a peculiar fascination for the British public. Executed in 1587, she quickly became a figure of romantic tragedy, particularly for Catholics. This print frames the Queen, literally and figuratively, within a border that associates her with Scotland through the inclusion of thistles. Below the portrait, an axe rests on top of a crown, a stark reminder of her execution. The image presents a Catholic martyr, done at a time when it was still dangerous to openly support Catholicism, and so the image is both political and religious. These kinds of images speak to a deep social interest in the history of the British Isles and the politics of religion. To better understand the image we would need to research the artist and the context in which the print was made and distributed.