That Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were passionate patrons of art and design isn’t exactly news (the Victoria & Albert Museum is named after them for a reason). But what might surprise some is the revelation that they were also enthusiastic amateur artists, who dabbled with etching throughout their marriage.
According to the Art Newspaper, it was Prince Albert who introduced the artistic medium to the queen shortly after their wedding in 1840, and the couple soon took to working on plates together.
Next April, two etchings by the royal couple will go on display in an exhibition at the London Original Print Fair, alongside etchings, woodcuts, and lithographs by Old Masters including Albrecht Dürer, Raphaël, Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, and Canaletto, no less.
Despite being shown as part of an art fair, however, none of the 30 works in the exhibition—which belong to the Royal Collection—will be for sale.
The 30th edition of the London Original Print Fair will take place from April 23 to 26 at the Royal Academy, gathering up to 50 print dealers, galleries, and publishers. The available works will run the gamut from Rembrandt to Grayson Perry, with prices ranging from £100 to £250,000.