The Red Cross Knight
1793 National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
About this artwork
This large-scale oil painting depicts a scene inspired by Edmund Spenser's epic poem The Faerie Queene. It features the Red Cross Knight standing alongside two female figures, capturing a moment of literary allegory.
Did you know?
This work is a portrait of the children of King George III, specifically portraying Sophia, Mary, and Octavius as characters from Spenser's 'The Faerie Queene'. Copley masterfully blends royal portraiture with literary fantasy, showcasing his versatility as a painter during a period when narrative painting was highly esteemed. The presence of the snake and chalice refers to the trial of the Red Cross Knight in the poem, adding a layer of symbolic complexity to the royal commission.
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The Red Cross Knight
John Singleton Copley, 1793
