George Humphrey.

Coronation of His Most Gracious Majesty, King George the Fourth
An exact representation of the Procession from Westminster Hall to the Abbey, showing the appearance of the surrounding Buildings &c &c on the 19th July 1821.

50½ x 19½ inches

An aquatint and etching partially printed in coloured inks and finished by hand, published by George Humphrey in St. James's Street in July 1821.

This extraordinary panorama illustrates the coronation of George IV in the summer of 1821, a year after his accession to the throne, and gives us an unprecedented record of the day's events. The king can be seen in the middle of the image, centrepiece to the extraordinary pageantry that took place between Westminster Hall and the Abbey. He is preceded by the peers of the realm in full pomp, each resplendent in full court attire with a page carrying their train. Soldiers line the processional route and salute the monarch as he passes by. Cheering crowds line the streets, but what is perhaps more interesting are the specially constructed stadia that allow thousands more to witness the event. In the most coveted seats, the "Royal Central Pavilion", spectators have paid three guineas for the privilege whilst in the outer amphitheatre the price drops to a bargain of two guineas per person. Also of note is a serpentine canopy that has been constructed to cover the entire processional route and avoid all that velvet and ermine spoiling in the rain!

£2600