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Wednesday 22 May 2013

Queen Victoria & Family Life

The 24th of May is Queen Victoria's birthday and last weekend was the Canadian long weekend to celebrate.

As I pulled my Union Jack pennant banner out of storage and strung it along the porch ~


I got thinking about how much influence Queen Victoria had on family life, as we know it today.  Her 64 year reign saw the emergence of the middle class and a whole new set of values.  Home and family was raised to a level of importance never before experienced by western societies.

Victoria and her beloved Albert seemed the embodiment of all the values the middle class held dear.  She was obviously and unabashedly in love with her prince. ~


A little research shows Victoria wasn't quite as enamoured of the children but the couple did spend more time with theirs than was usual with monarchs.  ~


Portraits of a relaxed and loving royal family made children lolling about on the furniture seem adorable and entirely to be desired.

How many Christmas cards we receive each year are somehow based on this image of Victoria and Albert's Christmas portrait? ~


The one that really breaks me up is this one! ~


What could be more homey than a couple and their hunting dogs?  All those dead birds lying around and that cute, little baby playing with a dead duck is beyond adorable!  I think she's making the dead duck talk to the other dead birds. "Is that blood on your tummy White Bird.  You have a boo boo.  Let me kiss it better.". Can you tell I'm laughing my fool head off?

I think I'll pay homage to Victorian style by recreating this painting next time Baby comes to visit.  Any chickens that pass on to the great coop in the sky are being frozen to use as toys!

Sorry, I just couldn't carry on with my original serious post when I saw that painting!  I'm still laughing.

18 comments:

  1. Oh my God, that cracked me up. And her holding a bouquet of flowers....hahahaha!

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  2. dead wildlife. not my first choice for toys for the kids. however, the Christmas painting is quite delightful. (Question: Victoria's birthday is still celebrated?)

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  3. Wonderful post Maureen! I love the old Victorian paintings; so much going on. Yes, she did love her Albert... which is why she wore black the rest of her life after he was gone.

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  4. Oh that last picture is hilarious!! Really, I knew very little about Queen Victoria and now, what I know comes from you. Of course my take away will be that she let her baby play with dead ducks! I'm sure the Monarchy thanks you for that!!!

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  5. These are very interesting paintings of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert but that last one is a real surprise! Can you imagine doing that today? I love your Union Jack banner! I still have my childhood Union Jack flags and get them out every July for Canada Day but never thought of Victoria Day. Great post Maureen! Blessings, Pamela

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  6. I love this post Maureen!!!
    Especially living in a province where you risk blood shed showing a Union Jack flag!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I just watched a documentary on Queen Victoria - quite the " lusty " lady she was LOL
    XOX

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  7. This is a great post, I found it very interesting! Teelast picture, I have to agree with the other ladies, was bit of a surprise.

    Cynthia

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  8. I'm sure I'll get my head chopped off for saying this, but they weren't quite as attractive in real life as their paintings suggest, were they !! Great post Maureen, I'm afraid I won't ever be hanging our flag up outside, as over here it signifies something a bit sinister !!

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  9. Thanks for sharing I loved your post!

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  10. Oh my goodness that's hilarious. We have the queens birthday holiday in June but its for Queen Eluzabeth although its bad I'm not sure which Elizabeth. I love their paintings. I think it was then who brought in the tradition of Christmas cards, although I could be wrong.

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  11. We love Queen Victoria around here. My daughter was her during her school's Wax Museum. Neat post!

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  12. I don't blame you for laughing ... all so staged ... and strange.
    Audrey Z.

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  13. Ha!!! Thank you...thank you...good belly laugh.
    Did you see the movie, The Young Victoria?...I think that is the title. It is really good.
    I don't feel any real association with Queen Victoria, although I love knowing more about that time period and her influence.
    I am with Suzan... would not be able to hang that flag banner around here. yikes.

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  14. LOL, wonderful post. You are right, that last picture is really something. Unbelievable. Thank you for commenting and leaving encouraging words. xo Linda

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