3-043-725 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

"Flight of the Queen of James II.", by Alexander Johnston, in the Crystal Palace Art-Gallery, 1872. 'The narrative of the perilous flight of the poor Queen [Mary of Modena], with her infant, then only six months old, when the feeble King had himself resolved to flee before the steady advance of William of Orange, is not a little pathetic...The enterprise was highly dangerous...In the dead of a stormy December night the party stole down the "backstairs" of the Whitehall Palace, carrying with them some of the Royal jewels...The night was bitterly cold and intensely dark, the rain fell heavily, the waves ran high. The Queen had no other protection than a large hooded cloak, which, however, shrouded the infant at her bosom, who lay sweetly sleeping till the escape was effected...Mary, afraid that she might be recognised,...remained with her child standing for shelter (as the painter represents) under the tower of Lambeth Church, and distracted with terror whenever the ostler approached her with his lantern...We may take the opportunity of adding that a marked improvement is observable in the average quality of the pictures this year exhibited at Sydenham, and that the collection is deserving a visit'. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.