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Illustrations and sketches by Queen Victoria

Just as Queen Victoria described her daily life in her Journal, so she recorded many of her experiences in drawings and watercolours. A keen artist from an early age, the Queen made numerous sketches of her homes and family, the places she visited and the people she met. A selection of her works is presented here. Some were drawn directly into her Journals as illustrations of her diary entries, while others are taken from her albums and sketchbooks, housed in the Print Room at Windsor Castle.Read: Queen Victoria's Sketchbook, by Marina Warner

Journal illustrations
Sketchbook illustrations

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1827-1840

Elizabethan lady and horse: pen and ink sketches [by Princess Victoria ?] on blotting paper (16.9 x 10.6 cm (sheet))

1 August - 12 October 1832

Horses' head: pen and ink sketches [by Princess Victoria ?] on blotting paper (16.9 x 10.6 cm (sheet))

1 August - 12 October 1832

Mlle Grisi as Pamira: pen and ink sketch by Princess Victoria (22.6 x 18.6 cm (sheet))

16th August 1834

Mlle Grisi as Pamira: pencil sketch [by Princess Victoria ?] of head only (22.6 x 18.6 cm (sheet))

16th August 1834

Elizabeth de Valois, Queen of Spain, and Elizabeth d'Autriche, Queen of France: pen and ink sketch by Princess Victoria (22.8 x 18.9 cm (sheet))

17th August 1834

A riding party: pen and ink sketch by Princess Victoria (15.5 x 19.8 cm (sight))

13th September 1834

Queen Victoria's bridal headdress: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (2.3 x 2.7 cm (sheet))

10th February 1840

1841-1850

Victoria, Princess Royal or Victoria Noel: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.0 x 3.3 cm (sheet))

17th December 1841

Victoria, Princess Royal or Victoria Noel: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.0 x 3.3 cm (sheet))

17th December 1841

Queen Victoria in Bal Costumé outfit as Queen Philippa: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (15.6 x 11.4 cm (sheet))

Prince Albert in Bal Costumé outfit: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (18.1 x 11.0 cm (sheet))

Queen Victoria's hairstyle with wreath of lilies-of-the-valley: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.6 x 2.2 cm (sheet))

Brahmin in traditional dress: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.1 x 2.5 cm (sheet))

Victoria, Princess Royal nude trying to climb into a bath: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.6 x 3.7 cm (sheet))

Victoria, Princess Royal: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.5 x 2.4 cm (sheet))

26th August 1842

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.9 x 5.2 cm (sheet))

26th August 1842

Scottish fisherwomen: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (4.5 x 4.6 cm (sheet))

3rd September 1842

A Highlander: pen and ink sketch by Prince Albert (18.1 x 9.4 cm (sheet))

10th September 1842

Victoria, Princess Royal: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.5 x 2.4 cm (sheet))

Princess Augusta of Cambridge in her wedding dress: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.1 x 2.3 cm (sheet))

French fisherwoman: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (2.4 x 2.3 cm (sheet))

2nd September 1843

French charabanc: pen and ink sketch with wash and watercolour, by Queen Victoria (2.6 x 4.0 cm (sheet))

3rd September 1843

French woman and baby: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (3.1 x 2.7 cm (sheet))

3rd September 1843

Françoise, Princesse de Joinville: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (4.1 x 2.4 cm (sheet))

3rd September 1843

Poste Postillion: pen and ink sketch with wash and watercolour, by Queen Victoria (5.4 x 3.2 cm (sheet))

6th September 1843

Belgian woman: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (2.9 x 2.0 cm (sheet))

13th September 1843

The Bishop of Bruges: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (2.6 x 1.7 cm (sheet))

15th September 1843

Belgian infantryman: pen and ink sketch with wash and watercolour, by Queen Victoria (4.5 x 2.4 cm (sheet))

15th September 1843

Belgian nun: pen and ink sketch with wash, by Queen Victoria (5.5 x 2.5 cm (sheet))

15th September 1843

Belgian nun: pen and ink sketch with wash, by Queen Victoria (5.5 x 2.5 cm (sheet))

15th September 1843

The Bishop of Ghent: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (4.6 x 2.4 cm (sheet))

16th September 1843

Belgian nun in hooded cloak: pen and ink sketch with wash, by Queen Victoria (4.4 x 2.4 cm (sheet))

16th September 1843

A Belgian nun: pen and ink sketch with wash, by Queen Victoria (4.2 x 2.0 cm (sheet))

16th September 1843

Belgian nun kneeling: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.0 x 2.1 cm (sheet))

16th September 1843

Belgian Dominican monk: pen and ink sketch with wash and watercolour, by Queen Victoria (4.3 x 2.1 cm (sheet))

16th September 1843

Belgian woman: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (2.9 x 2.0 cm (sheet))

18th September 1843

The Cardinal Archbishop of Malines: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (5.4 x 2.1 cm (sheet))

19th September 1843

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, in a blouse: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.5 x 2.0 cm (sheet))

8th October 1843

Victoria, Princess Royal: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.5 x 2.4 cm (sheet))

21st November 1843

Ojibway Indian: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.2 x 1.9 cm (sheet))

20th December 1843

Victoria, Princess Royal in costume: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (6.3 x 4 cm (sheet))

1st January 1844

Victoria, Princess Royal and Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, in costume as Gotha peasants: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.1 x 3.1 cm (sheet))

Victoria, Princess Royal's cap from behind: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.1 x 3.1 cm (sheet))

Eos sitting: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.2 x 3.6 cm (irregular))

1st August 1844

Eos lying down: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.1 x 2.0 cm (sight))

1st August 1844

Three sketches: Eos with Princess Alice; Eos curled up; Eos lying down: pen and ink sketches by Queen Victoria (4.2 x 15.0 cm (sight)

1st August 1844

Princess Alice from the side and from behind: pen and ink sketches by Queen Victoria (4.1 x 4.3 cm (sheet))

25th August 1844

Victoria, Princess Royal, Princess Alice, and Albert Edward, Prince of Wales: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.6 x 6.1 cm (sheet))

6th September 1844

Prince Albert wearing a shooting cap: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (2.7 x 1.9 cm (sheet))

23rd September 1844

28th October 1844

Queen Victoria wearing diadem (front view): pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (1.6 x 1.2 cm (sheet))

28th October 1844

Two people, including Princess Alice, in costume: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.5 x 3.1 cm (sheet))

1st January 1845

Duchesse de Sotomayor: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.9 x 2.7 cm (sheet))

11th January 1845

Medallion of the Queen and her four children: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria, copying Winterhalter's arrangement (2.8 x 2.6 cm (irregular))

1st February 1845

Bracelet given to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Prince Albert (6.3 x 10.1 cm (sheet))

10th February 1845

Princess Alice: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.7 x 3.6 cm (sight))

25th April 1845

Queen Victoria's powdered hairstyle: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (2.7 x 2.8 cm (sheet))

Victoria, Princess Royal and Princess Alice in black jackets and round hats: pen and ink sketch with watercolour and wash, by Queen Victoria (3 x 5 cm (sheet))

Victoire, Duchesse de Nemours and her hairstyle: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (2.4 x 2.3 cm (sheet))

Victoria, Princess Royal and Queen Victoria in costume: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (5.9 x 7.1 cm (sight))

Prince Albert in costume: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (8.8 x 5.1 cm (sight))

Russian coachman: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.4 x 2.2 cm (sheet))

Pointed German helmet: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (2.7 x 1.9 cm (sheet))

11th August 1845

Three sketches of Bavarian peasants: face and cap; half-length; full-length carrying loaded basket: pen and ink sketches by Queen Victoria (6.3 x 7.3 cm (sheet))

18th August 1845

19th August 1845

Two women in Coburg dress, one carrying basket on her back: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.4 x 5.8 cm (sheet))

19th August 1845

Headdresses of Gotha peasant women: pen and ink sketches by Queen Victoria (3.4 x 5.9 cm (sheet))

28th August 1845

Headdresses of Gotha peasant women: pen and ink sketches by Queen Victoria (3.4 x 5.9 cm (sheet))

28th August 1845

Ibrahim Pasha: full-length and half-length: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (6.4 x 6.8 cm (sheet))

Princess Alice and Victoria, Princess Royal, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and Prince Alfred: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.4 x 6.0 cm (sight))

Cornish miner wearing a cap: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.4 x 3.1 cm (sheet))

8th September 1846

Prince Alfred as Henry VIII: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.1 x 2.3 cm (sheet))

10th February 1847

9th November 1847

Prince Alfred playing in the Queen's room: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.7 x 5.9 cm (sheet))

7th December 1847

Queen Victoria's 5 children dressed as Coburg and Thüringen peasants: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.5 x 7.7 cm (sheet))

1st January 1848

The nine grandchildren of the Duchess of Kent: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (8.9 x 16.1 cm (sheet))

17th August 1848

Old Balmoral Castle: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (10.0 x 4.3 cm (sheet))

8th September 1848

The Duchess of Kent: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria, copying Winterhalter's painting (2.9 x 2.7 cm (sheet))

Prince Alfred and Princess Helena: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria, copying Winterhalter's painting (3.6 x 2.7 cm (sheet))

Prince Alfred and Albert Edward, Prince of Wales: sketch in watercolour over pencil, by Queen Victoria (9.0 x 6.1 cm (sheet))

Princess Helena in a helmet: sketch in watercolour over pencil, by Queen Victoria (10.8 x 7.0 cm (sheet))

A macauco [i.e. ring-tailed lemur]: pencil sketch by Queen Victoria (15.0 x 16.2 cm (sheet))

Large flower vase at Osborne: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.0 x 4.7 cm (sight))

Old woman fording the river Dee: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.2 x 2.6 cm (sheet))

25th August 1849

Old woman: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.6 x 3.1 cm (sheet))

25th August 1849

The Hut (Alltnaguibhsaich): pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.8 x 11.2 cm (sight))

31st August 1849

Princess Louise in a helmet: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.0 x 2.6 cm (sheet))

11th December 1849

Princess Louise dressed as a Highlander: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.4 x 3.0 cm (sheet))

18th December 1849

Prince Alfred: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (6.4 x 3.0 cm (sheet))

17th January 1850

Two Moors in their national dress: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (7.2 x 5.8 cm (sheet))

Three sketches: characters from the opera 'Le Prophète': pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (7.4 x 13.7 cm (sheet))

Queen Victoria: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.0 x 2.6 cm (sheet))

21st August 1850

Clasp of a bracelet containing a miniature of Princess Louise, given to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (3.7 x 3.5 cm (sheet))

24th December 1850

1851-1860

Performance by Queen Victoria's children of 'Le Ballot', a 'comédie' written by Mme. Rollande: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.6 x 9.3 cm (sheet))

9th January 1851

Queen Victoria's birthday table at Osborne: watercolour by James Roberts (20.8 x 17.3 cm (sheet))

Prince Albert, Queen Victoria and Prince Charles of Leiningen [?] in their costumes for the Stuart Ball: watercolour by Queen Victoria (8.8 x 12.0 cm (sheet))

Formes and Mlle. Grisi performing in 'Flauto Magico': pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (6.8 x 6.8 cm (sheet))

A Chinese family: pen and ink sketches by Queen Victoria (16.5 x 9.2 cm (sheet))

18th August 1851

Queen Victoria's children in costume for a Twelfth Night performance: ink and watercolour sketch by Queen Victoria (7.1 x 13.0 cm (sight))

6th January 1852

The Royal children in costume for Racine's 'Athalie': pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.7 x 11.0 cm (sheet))

10th February 1852

Scene from 'The Corsican Brothers': ink and watercolour sketch by Queen Victoria (16.3 x 12.2 cm (sheet))

23rd March 1852

Mr Wigan, the actor: pen and ink sketch with wash, by Queen Victoria (3.1 x 2.9 cm (sheet))

Formes as Cardinal Brogni: watercolour by Queen Victoria (5.9 x 5.3 cm (sight))

Queen Victoria's birthday table at Osborne: watercolour by James Roberts (20.8 x 17.3 cm (sheet))

Duchess Fernanda de Montpensier in Spanish national dress: pen and ink sketch with watercolour by Queen Victoria (3.6 x 2.8 cm (sheet))

Princess Marie Amelie de Montpensier in the arms of the 'Ama' in her Spanish national dress: watercolour by Queen Victoria (6.0 x 3.2 cm (sheet))

14th August 1852

A dead stag: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (6.2 x 11.7 cm (sheet))

27th September 1852

A dead stag: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (6.2 x 11.7 cm (sheet))

11th October 1852

A woman in Welsh national dress: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (6.1 x 3.2 cm (sheet))

14th October 1852

The hearse carrying the Duke of Wellington: pen and ink sketch with wash, by Queen Victoria (7.8 x 17.5 cm (irregular))

18th November 1852

Bust of Empress Eugenie by Baron de Minkerke: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.3 x 3.5 cm (sheet))

12th February 1853

Ornate well from Osborne House: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.8 x 8.1 cm (sheet))

Queen Victoria's birthday table at Osborne: watercolour by James Roberts (20.8 x 17.3 cm (sheet))

Statue of 'Highland Mary': sketch in watercolour, bodycolour and wash by James Roberts (18.8 x 10.3 cm (sheet))

Ferdinand, Duke of Genoa: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (6.6 x 3.0 cm (sheet))

Prince Alfred, Prince Arthur, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, in sailor outfits: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (4.7 x 4.8 cm (sheet))

20th August 1853

A stag: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (7.4 x 5.7 cm (sheet))

18th October 1853

Princess Marie, Duchess of Brabant: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (7.9 x 5.1 cm (sheet))

25th October 1853

Princess Marie, Duchess of Brabant: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (7.9 x 5.1 cm (sheet))

3rd November 1853

Queen Victoria's birthday table at Osborne: watercolour by James Roberts (20.8 x 17.3 cm (sheet))

Maharajah Duleep Singh: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (4.6 x 3.4 cm (sheet))

Pandit Nehemiah Gori [?]: pen and ink sketch with wash and watercolour, by Queen Victoria (6.0 x 3.7 cm (sheet))

Maharajah Duleep Singh: pen and ink sketch with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (4.6 x 3.4 cm (sheet))

21st August 1854

Wounded soldiers at the military hospital, Chatham: pen and ink sketches with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (21.3 x 17.1 cm (sheet))

Queen Victoria's birthday table at Osborne: watercolour by James Roberts (20.8 x 17.3 cm (sheet))

Zouave [?]: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.1 x 1.7 (image))

19th August 1855

A French soldier on horseback: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (6.4 x 3.3 cm (sheet))

25th August 1855

A French soldier [Garde Chasse]: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (5.6 x 4.0 cm (sheet))

25th August 1855

Tambour-Major [?]: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (3.0 x 0.9 (image))

26th August 1855

30th November 1855

King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia (face turned away): photographic reproduction after a sketch by Queen Victoria (14.4 x 11.0 cm (sheet))

30th November 1855

Queen Victoria's birthday table at Osborne: watercolour by James Roberts (20.8 x 17.3 cm (sheet))

Said, brother of the Turkish Pasha: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (6.6 x 5.2 cm (sight))

10th November 1856

Women and children of Cherbourg: pen and ink sketches with watercolour, by Queen Victoria (9.6 x 11.7 cm (irregular))

18th August 1857

Marie Amelie, former Queen of the French [?]: watercolour by Queen Victoria (8.7 x 7.1 cm (sheet))

20th November 1857

Queen Stephanie of Portugal: pencil sketch with watercolour by Queen Victoria (13.6 x 9.4 cm (sheet))

Two Moorish envoys (one drawn also from the side): pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (10.8 x 11.3 cm (sheet))

1861-1866

Princess Charlotte of Prussia and Princess Beatrice: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (11.2 x 17.2 cm (sight))

Princess Helena on her confirmation, drawn from the back: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (14.3 x 7.9 cm (sheet))

17th April 1862

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge at her wedding, rear view: pen and ink sketch by Queen Victoria (14.2 x 8.0 cm (sheet))

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