 |
'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey' by Paul Delaroche, 1833
Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen of England in 1553, aged only seventeen, after the death of Edward VI.
The Protestant great-granddaughter of Henry VII, she reigned for nine days, until the Roman Catholic supporters of Mary Tudor had her thrown into the Tower of London. She was executed at Tower Hill on 12 February 1554.
In this painting, she is guided towards the execution block by Sir John Brydges, Lieutenant of the Tower. The straw on which the block rests was intended to soak up the victim's blood. The executioner stands impassive to the right and two ladies in attendance are shown grieving to the left.
© The National Gallery, London
|
|
|
|
