A sketchbook filled with drawings created by Queen Victoria will be rejoined with many of her other artworks in the Royal Collection Trust’s collection. The book was originally slated to be sold at an auction by Charterhouse Auctioneers in Sherborne, Dorset, for a price estimated to be between £5,000 and £10,000. However, the family who owned the sketches agreed with the trust, and the book will now be added to the more than 4,000 pieces of art created by the monarch at St James’ Palace in London. The sketchbook was discovered by the family of Leta Smith, a former royal archivist at Windsor Castle, in a property in Dorset. It contains pencil and watercolour drawings from 1885, including images of dogs, trains, landscapes, and a view of Frogmore Cottage. The book bears the monarch’s monogram and an inscription reading, “On board the steamer Le Petit Parisien on the Lac de Bourget [April] 11 1885.” The Royal Collection Trust, based at St James Palace, is responsible for preserving and conserving the Royal Family’s art collection, including over 4,000 watercolours, etchings, and lithographs produced during Queen Victoria’s reign. The public can view the collection in several historic royal and former residences across the UK.
The return of the sketchbook to the collection marks a significant addition to the Royal Collection Trust’s holdings of Queen Victoria’s art. The trust’s spokesperson stated that the acquisition of appropriate pieces helps to enhance the collection and provide exhibits for the public, in line with the trust’s charitable goals. Queen Victoria was a talented artist and was taught painting by several teachers, including William Leighton Leitch. The monarch was inspired by the beauty of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight and Balmoral Castle, which she spent more time at in the 1840s and beyond. The Royal Collection is housed in 15 royal and former residences throughout the UK, including Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Tower of London, and the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. The return of the sketchbook offers a unique glimpse into the art and life of one of Britain’s most famous monarchs.
