Bust of a richly dressed lady in Tudor/Stewart style, set within an oval cartouche beneath the motto “Honi soit qui mal y pense” a medieval French phrase meaning “Shame on him who thinks evil of it.” It was the motto of the Order of the Garter, England’s oldest and most prestigious chivalric order, founded in 1348 by King Edward III. According to tradition, the king uttered the phrase when a lady’s garter slipped during a court dance and courtiers laughed; defending her honor, he declared that shame belonged not to her but to those who thought ill of her. Originally issued as an engraving on paper, this example was pressed onto a thin wooden plaque for decorative display.
Scattered abrasions and light wear to the printed surface; panel sound with original hanging loop.
Period: 20th century
Provenance: France
Materials: Transfer-printed engraving on wood panel
Artist: Léopold Flameng (engraver) after a 16th-century portrait
Dimensions: 9.5H x 9.2W in | 24H x 23.5W cm
