Royal Copyists
Explore royal copies of Great Masters in the Royal Collection
Pigeons
Signed and dated 1841Oil on panel | 25.7 x 22.5 cm (support, canvas/panel/str external) | RCIN 403872
Prince Albert was charmed by this painting of roosting pigeons, by Belgian artist Henri Voordecker, which Queen Victoria gave him for his birthday in 1841. Albert decided to put his newly acquired etching skills to the test by copying a section of the painting, which was then printed using the printing press installed in Buckingham Place the year before. The image was reversed by the printing process.