William Maw Egley (1826 - 1916) British
The Coming of Age
Oil on canvas, signed and dated
Circle of Sir Francis Grant (1803 - 1878) British
Portrait of Queen Victoria
Oil on canvas, with gilt composition frame
For most of its life, this portrait hung in the Mansion House at Chiselhurst, which was owned by Napoleon III (1908 - 1878).
It was always assumed that the picture was of Napoleon's wife, the Empress Eugenie, but it was recently vetted by the V & A, who established that the picture was Queen Victoria, having identified the bracelet on her wrist.
The bracelet was the one given to her by Prince Albert at the time of her wedding and was made by the celebrated royal jeweller, Bone. Queen Victoria was so taken with it that she commissioned Bone to make similar bracelets for all her bridesmaids as a gift.
