King of Spades Marlborough and his Times
Printmaker: Unknown
A representation of Philip V Spain (as Duke of Anjou) 'stealing' the Spanish crown. He was the grandson of Louis XIV of France and claimed the crown of Spain in 1700, following Charles II of Spain's death-bed alteration of his will to favour the Bourbon Duke.
From a complete pack of 52 playing-cards commemorating the victories of the Duke of Marlborough in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714). Spades satirise the French and Austrian enemy, the other three suits represent scenes from the campaigns, mostly in the Netherlands, also in Spain and Belgium; the aces, court and some numeral cards are portraits or satirical or allegorical scenes.
A museum catalogue card is included with the pack and pasted with a printed cutting from a sale catalogue, which has been crossed out in graphite: 'CARDS, A Pack of 52 Curious old Engraved Cards / representing Humourous and Comical Scenes, Military / Portraits of Blucher, Wellington, etc. National Emblematic Figures etc. engraved by L. OSIANDER, scarce'. A graphite inscription written on the card below: 'Pack of 52 line-engraved cards, of historical scenes & personages relating to the War of the Spanish Succession.'. The verso is blank.
The pack of cards and catalogue card are contained inside a folded manilla envelope inscribed in ink in a calligraphic hand: 'Marlborough's Victories / A pack of 52 cards / Reproduced in _Playing Cards [of various ages and countries] / selected from the collection of Lady Charlotte Schreiber_, Vol. 1, plates / 35-38 / See also _BM Satires_, vol. II / nos. 1342-4, 1429, 1435, 1452, 1461, 1491, 1492, 1543, 1544, 1557, / 1560-5, 1576, 1585'.
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1923) by Perceval, Spencer George
18th Century
Production date:
circa
AD 1715
: Another set: BM 1841,0508.4-55 is dated 1710-1725
Sheet Height 91 mm Width 60 mm
Accession number: P.13064-R(13)
Primary reference Number: 186271
Stephens/George: 1343
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Paintings, Drawings and Prints
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "King of Spades" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/186271 Accessed: 2024-12-23 16:22:40
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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/186271
|title=King of Spades
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-23 16:22:40|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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