'Birth of James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales' (includes Prince James Francis Edward Stuart; Sir Edward Petre, 3rd Bt; Mary of Modena and twelve unidentified figures)
- Artist: Carel Allard
- Date: 1691
- Medium: engraving
- Dimensions: 10 in. x 11 3/4 in. (254 mm x 299 mm) paper size
- Portrays: Prince James Francis Edward Stuart, Mary of Modena, Sir Edward Petre, 3rd Bt
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
In this engraving by Carel Allard you can see a modest room with a bed at the center. A young baby—born on 11 June 1691—is cradled in Father Petre’s hands and presented to an audience of courtiers, priests and other attendants. The figures are rendered in ink on paper that measures roughly ten by eleven and three‑quarters inches.
The scene includes Prince James Francis Edward Stuart, the “Old Pretender,” sitting beside his mother, Mary of Modena, who had recently given birth. A group of twelve unnamed figures watches the unveiling. Petre, a Jesuit courtier, is positioned to the right, his posture suggesting pride and solemnity.
This print was made in the early 1690s and circulated after the birth. It served as satirical commentary on rumors that Mary’s baby had been smuggled into bed by a warming pan—a story that many believed at the time. The engraving captures both the drama of the moment and the political intrigue surrounding the Jacobite court.
See it in person
'Birth of James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales' (includes Prince James Francis Edward Stuart; Sir Edward Petre, 3rd Bt; Mary of Modena and twelve unidentified figures) is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
