Today, I will talk about a little more about Queen Anne and stories behind the character.
Like the last entry, what I am about share here is also what I found out after finishing 10 illustrations of this series. Actually I got this information just about 10 days ago or so... After learning about European Robin, this time I wanted to know more about Queen Anne and King James. So, I looked them up.
What I found out there was more intriguing than I expected. Well, even after naming the bird, Queen Anne, I still didn't even know that "real Queen Anne" was a queen of England. But, probably my image of "Queen" (which is coincidentally "queens of England") lead me to draw pictures that King James isn't included there, except one, "Queen Anne's Sweet Memory" which I drew "madly-in-love" Queen Anne & King James in a Queen Anne's Lace meadow. Somehow I didn't feel like including King James in any other pictures, at least so far. I was actually thinking what to do with it.
I do not know if any of you who would be reading this believe in "coincidence". Well, I personally do, and often find it very amusing. This time, after looking up the information about King James, what I found very interesting was that it seems there were indeed times when King James and Queen Anne were very much in love. And then, King James was later linked to another woman. (actually another "Anne"... I first thought "how dare him", but Queen Anne was also a big spender, and it seems there were some religious difference between them as well). And Queen Anne passes away before him..... that was the real history. I kind of felt I understood the reason why I somehow always pictured Queen Anne alone in my mind in my rest of illustrations.
Well, back to my Queen Anne and Queen Anne's Lace series. Now I know about European Robbin, and the real history of "real" Queen Anne and King James. As someone who always prefer happy-ending in any stories, of course, I have re-created the happy-ending setting for my Queen Anne and Queen Anne's Lace series! (After all, in my mind this is a family-oriented illustration series.) I think I will reveal the setting as I introduce my illustration one by one.
Anyway, it has been an interesting ride for me to create this Queen Anne and Queen Anne's Lace series. Although I am not planning to create a long illustration series with this, I think I will add at least several more to illustrate the life of Queen Anne throughout the year.
King James: http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/james/jamesbio.htm
From next time, I will start sharing my illustrations with a little narrations.
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