- Museum number
- 1851,0308.219
- Title
- Object: The assault or fencing match...
- Description
-
The fencing match between Mademoiselle La Chevaliere d'Eon and the Chevalier de Saint-Georges at Carlton House: in an elegant room, d'Eon, at right, lunges towards Saint-Georges, a group of spectators, including the Prince of Wales, stand in the entrance and others watch from behind a barrier. 1789
Aquatint, etching and stipple
- Production date
- 1789
- Dimensions
-
Height: 482 millimetres
-
Width: 481 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- A print after a painting by Alexandre-Auguste Robineau (1747-1828), now in the Royal Collection (inv. RCIN 400636). It records the fencing match between the Chevalier de Saint-Georges and the Chevaliere d'Eon (the name which had been adopted by the Chevalier d'Eon from 1777, at which date she had begun to live publicly as a woman and to adopt feminine grammar rather than the male grammar she had used to date). The match took place at Carlton House on 9 April 1787 and was attended by numerous members of high society including the Prince of Wales, seen here wearing the Star of the Order of the Garter. It is thought that the painting was commissioned by George IV.
Although the Chevalier was, at this date, living as a woman in London, d'Eon nevertheless continued to give fencing displays and demonstrations, partly as a way to make a living after the ending of the ambassadorial income received in d'Eon's former position as Minister Plenipotentiary to the British court. A newspaper of the time reported the match, and alluded to the commission of the painting, suggesting the skill of the participants was a draw second only to the interest in d'Eon:
"The most remarkable occurrence of the fencing match at Carleton-house, was the assault between Mons. De St. George, and Mademoiselle D'Eon: the latter, though incumbered, as she humorously declared it herself, with three petticoats, that suited her sex much better than her spirit, not only parried skilfully all the thrusts of her powerful antagonist, but even touched him by what is termed a coup de tems, which all his dexterity could not ward off. We hear that a celebrated painter has undertaken to hit off the semblance and attitude of the hero and heroine, in this very interesting scene.
"Mademoiselle D'Eon had modestly enough, on her hitting M. De St. George, to set it down to his complaisance; but the latter candidly declared, that the thrust was the fairer, that he had done all in his power to ward against it. A gentleman present assures us, that nothing could equal the quickness of the repartee, especially considering that the modern Pallas is nearly in her 60th year, and had to cope with a young man equally skilful and vigorous." (Undated press clipping included in an album of pamphlets relating to 'Eccentricities and Monostrosities' in the Prints & Drawings Department Library, shelfmark O.2.11)
The scene recorded in both painting and print is clearly that of the coup de tems, with St-George attempting to ward off the Chevalier's lunge. For other examples of the Chevalier d'Eon being equated with Pallas or Minerva, see 1902,1011.7149 and 2006,U.2714). For a satricial print inspired by the present composition, see 1851,0901.478.
SV
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1986 Apr-May, Plymouth, Plymouth Museum and AG, 'Sporting Life'
- Acquisition date
- 1851
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1851,0308.219
