Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/augustus-leopold-egg-169" aria-label="More by Augustus Leopold Egg" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Augustus Leopold Egg</a>
Beatrix Knighting Esmond
Purchased 1893
actions: postures and motions
actions: processes and functions
adults
architecture
aristocrat
carpet
dining room
domestic
features
furnishings
group
groups
history
interiors
kneeling
knight
literature (not Shakespeare)
literature and fiction
looking / watching
man
military
objects
panelling
people
period: Stuart dynasty, 1603-1714
politics and society
royalty and social rank
soldier
sword
Thackeray, William Makepeace, ‘The History of Henry Esmond’
weapons
woman
work and occupations
<p>This picture illustrates a scene from the <i>History of Henry Esmond Esq </i>by W.M. Thackeray (1811-63), published in 1852. When it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1858, the catalogue entry included this quotation: '"Kneel down," says Mrs Beatrix, "we dub you knight with this," and she waved the sword over his head.' This kind of literary narrative subject was extremely popular with the Victorian middle classes, but the most commonly illustrated novels tended to be by 17th and 18th century English writers such as Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774) and Laurence Sterne (1713-1768).<i> The Art Journal</i> considered Thackeray's novel an 'eccentric source' (<i>Art Journal</i>, vol.II, June 1858, p.162) for Egg; and Holman Hunt wrote to Edward Lear that he considered Egg's 'true and perfect painting' wasted on an 'unworthy subject' (letter dated 16 April 1857). The scene takes place in an elegantly-furnished, wood-panelled room, which is lit by the long window on the left. Esmond leans on one knee, looking up at Beatrix as she taps him on the shoulder with a fencing foil. In her left hand she is holding a scabbard and a blue sash. Behind Esmond, Beatrix's mother and the old Marquesa look on. The painting was created as a pendant to <i>Esmond Returns after the Battle of Wynendel</i> (1857, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), exhibited the previous year. Although painted before <i>Beatrix Knighting Esmond</i>, the Liverpool picture shows a later moment in the same scene, with Beatrix kneeling to fasten the sword and sash around Esmond, who is standing with one arm raised. The furnishings are identical in both paintings, but the sideboard with three copper plates is only just visible in the Liverpool picture. In comparison to earlier works such as <i>Scene from 'The Devil upon Two Sticks'</i> (1844, Tate N00444)<i> </i>the figures are more solidly painted and the handling much tighter. The close attention to detail, bright colours and the interest in light reveal the influence of Egg's contact with Pre-Raphaelite art, but the subject-matter is conventional by comparison with works such as <i>Past and Present 1-3</i> (Tate N03278, N03279 and N03280), also exhibited in 1858. <b>Further reading:</b>Christopher Wood, <i>Victorian Painting</i>, London 1999, pp.30-39. Frances FowleDecember 2000</p>
painting oil paint canvas
Beatrix Knighting Esmond
support: 869 × 1171 mm
Purchased 1893
<p>This picture illustrates a scene from the <i>History of Henry Esmond Esq </i>by W.M. Thackeray (1811-63), published in 1852. When it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1858, the catalogue entry included this quotation: '"Kneel down," says Mrs Beatrix, "we dub you knight with this," and she waved the sword over his head.' This kind of literary <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/n/narrative" title="Glossary definition for 'Narrative'"><span>narrative</span></a> subject was extremely popular with the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/v/victorian" title="Glossary definition for 'Victorian'"><span>Victorian</span></a> middle classes, but the most commonly illustrated novels tended to be by 17<sup>th</sup> and 18<sup>th</sup> century English writers such as Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774) and Laurence Sterne (1713-1768).<i> The Art Journal</i> considered Thackeray's novel an 'eccentric source' (<i>Art Journal</i>, vol.II, June 1858, p.162) for Egg; and Holman Hunt wrote to Edward Lear that he considered Egg's 'true and perfect painting' wasted on an 'unworthy subject' (letter dated 16 April 1857).

</p><p>The scene takes place in an elegantly-furnished, wood-panelled room, which is lit by the long window on the left. Esmond leans on one knee, looking up at Beatrix as she taps him on the shoulder with a fencing foil.  In her left hand she is holding a scabbard and a blue sash.  Behind Esmond, Beatrix's mother and the old Marquesa look on. The <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> was created as a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/pendant" title="Glossary definition for 'Pendant'"><span>pendant</span></a> to <i>Esmond Returns after the Battle of Wynendel</i> (1857, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), exhibited the previous year.  Although painted before <i>Beatrix Knighting Esmond</i>, the Liverpool picture shows a later moment in the same scene, with Beatrix kneeling to fasten the sword and sash around Esmond, who is standing with one arm raised.  The furnishings are identical in both paintings, but the sideboard with three copper plates is only just visible in the Liverpool picture.

</p><p>In comparison to earlier works such as <i>Scene from 'The Devil upon Two Sticks'</i> (1844, Tate <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/egg-scene-from-the-devil-upon-two-sticks-n00444" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N00444</span></a>)<i> </i>the figures are more solidly painted and the handling much tighter. The close attention to detail, bright colours and the interest in light reveal the influence of Egg's contact with <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/pre-raphaelite" title="Glossary definition for 'Pre-Raphaelite'"><span>Pre-Raphaelite</span></a> art, but the subject-matter is conventional by comparison with works such as <i>Past and Present 1-3</i> (Tate <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/egg-past-and-present-no-1-n03278" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N03278</span></a>, <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/egg-past-and-present-no-2-n03279" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N03279</span></a> and <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/egg-past-and-present-no-3-n03280" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N03280</span></a>), also exhibited in 1858. 

</p><p><b>Further reading:<br/></b>Christopher Wood, <i>Victorian Painting</i>, London 1999, pp.30-39.

</p><p>Frances Fowle<br/>December 2000</p>
Summary
2005-09-15T00:00:00
summary
SHORT_TEXT
actions: postures and motions actions: processes and functions adults architecture aristocrat carpet dining room domestic features furnishings group groups history interiors kneeling knight literature and fiction literature (not Shakespeare) looking / watching man military objects panelling people period: Stuart dynasty, 1603-1714 politics and society royalty and social rank soldier sword Thackeray, William Makepeace, ‘The History of Henry Esmond’ weapons woman work and occupations