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Portrait of King George V

Unknown

1911

paint

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

British Romanticism Early Modern Portrait

Dominant colour

Portrait of King George V is a 1911 paint by Unknown, a British Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1911 · British Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

The painting shows King George V in formal attire. It's a portrait with lots of details. The king's clothes and medals are painted carefully, which suggests the artist wanted to show his importance. The painting is interesting because it might be based on a magazine illustration. This was a common way to make portraits at the time. The event that inspired the painting, the Delhi durbar, was a big deal - it was the first time a British monarch visited India. You can learn more about this style of painting by looking at the technique of sfumato.

The story of this work

Overview

The portrait depicts King George V in a red tunic with gold epaulettes, a blue sash, and multiple decorations, his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Likely based on a magazine illustration from either his 1911 coronation or the Delhi Durbar later that year, the work reflects the fusion of Indian artistic traditions with Western conventions typical of Company paintings. Produced by Indian artists for European patrons, such works ranged from commissioned pieces to commercially available bazaar items. The painting captures the monarch in formal attire, emphasizing his ceremonial role.

Read the full account in the museum source.