Historical. Charles I, King of England. A helmeted Britannia, wearing violet drapery, holds steady the golden crown which England and Scotland, in red and yellow draperies, suspend above the head of the Infant Charles I. Two putti above support an escutcheon with the arms of the United Kingdom lightly indicated, and a putto below holds a torch to a heap of armor, spears, and dull red banners which the union makes no longer necessary.

The Union of England and Scotland (Charles I as the Prince of Wales), 1633–34

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King Charles I of England (reigned 1625–49) commissioned Rubens to decorate the ceiling of the Banqueting House of Whitehall Palace, in London. The vast canvases celebrate the Stuart monarchy and the reign of Charles’s father, King James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England and Ireland in 1603, succeeding Queen Elizabeth I. This oil sketch represents Charles as a child, a young prince embodying the union. Crowning him are three women: personifications of England (in red) and Scotland (in yellow) and the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, Minerva. Above them, two cherubs hold the royal coat of arms.

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Rubens, Allegory Union of England and Scotland (#235)
Details
Title
The Union of England and Scotland (Charles I as the Prince of Wales)
Artist Life
1577–1640
Role
Artist
Accession Number
26.2
Curator Approved

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Historical. Charles I, King of England. A helmeted Britannia, wearing violet drapery, holds steady the golden crown which England and Scotland, in red and yellow draperies, suspend above the head of the Infant Charles I. Two putti above support an escutcheon with the arms of the United Kingdom lightly indicated, and a putto below holds a torch to a heap of armor, spears, and dull red banners which the union makes no longer necessary.