𝗟𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟵 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻
TW// MENTION OF EXECUTION AND DEAD
A little Research and Biography of the painting and Lady Jane Grey,
The Execution of Lady Jane Grey is an oil painting by Paul Delaroche, completed in 1833 and now housed in the National Gallery in London. Although it was enormously popular in the decades following its creation, realist historical paintings fell out of critical favor in the 20th century, leading to the painting being kept in storage for many years, during which time it was thought to be lost. Since its restoration and re-display in 1975, the painting has once again become highly popular, particularly with younger visitors. She was imprisoned on charges of high treason, a serious crime. She took the English throne, which by law should have passed to Mary I. The people largely support Edward VI's half sister Mary Tudor, the rightful heir by Henry VIII's will. Thats why Jane was arraigned for high treason and later executed.
Lady Jane Grey depicts the execution of a 17-year-old Queen who only ruled for 9 days. This events happened on February 12th 1554, 279 years later the French artist Paul Delaroche would paint the scene showing the young lady Jane gray blindfolded looking for the block on which she will be beheaded. This violent scene has the contradictory quality of being subtly gentle.
As She kneel there illuminated and vulnerable in a white dress, guided towards an execution block by the advisor, distraught ladies in waiting collapse around her and her executioner watches it from the side. Monochromatic, dramatic lighting depicts a decadent yet distressing scene, characteristic of the tableau vivant style which inspired Delaroche.
Her vulnerability soaks through the canvas in an almost devastating depiction of female suffering. Her white dress, contrasting the darkness of those around her and confronting the viewer with her innocence. The pitiful yet innoncent politeness of her carefully reaching hands, assisting her killer in bringing her to the block, paint an innoncent yet uncomfortable image of girlhood which the women in the painting cannot bring themselves to look at, leaving the male executioners the only witnesses. Even the executioner were sorry, he ask for forgiveness and Lady Jane Grey forgive him. How innoncent, pitiful, and devastating it is.
In my opinion, this painting is incredibly sad. The way she looks so scared, yet accepts her fate to be executed right then and there, the way she forgives the executioner, it’s heartbreaking. She’s only 17, a child. She doesn’t deserve this at all. Yes, maybe she’s not the rightful heir, but this is just cruel and devastating. She’s just a girl. Every time I see this painting, I cry, thinking of her and the people there. What must her ladies-in-waiting have felt? How devastated they must have been, seeing a lifeless girl there... It’s so devastating.
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