#lord castlereagh

[werewolfetone]

Extremely funny to me that Lord Byron & Percy Shelley both really hated Castlereagh but Shelley’s way of expressing it was writing an epic poem depicting Castlereagh as the personification of death wearing a metaphorical bloody mask & being followed by hounds which he feeds human hearts while Byron just went LMAO pissing on his grave

[jrkyy]

Lineup remake

[lordcastaway]

did i post it here or not i don't remember 🤡

[lordansketil]

Man, how did I only just read Lord Byron's epitaph for Lord Castlereagh? Holy shit, Byron.

Posterity will ne'er survey

A nobler scene than this:

Here lie the bones of Castlereagh–

Stop, traveller, and piss.

[count-lero]

The session of plenipotentiaries that never happened,

Or The tale of how I rediscovered that one lithography of Isabey’s famous painting in extremely high resolution and went through a total recall, so that everybody could suffer (myself including) ⭐️

The arrival of the Duke of Wellington had not only affected Vienna's diplomatic activity and social calendar; it was also posing a problem to the painter Jean-Baptiste Isabey, who was trying to capture the congress on canvas. He had been working for some time, and he had finally found a way to balance all the strong personalities, many of them patrons, into one single painting, and yet not offend national sensibilities or fragile egos.

The painting, which depicted the delegates gathered in a conference room, turned out to be a compromise in the best spirit of Vienna diplomacy.

Metternich, the president of the Congress, draws the eye, as the only standing figure in the foreground.

Castlereagh, though, commands the center, sitting with his legs gracefully crossed and elbow resting on the table.

The light shining through the window, however, falls onto Talleyrand, sitting across the table with his dress sword at his side. An empty chair on both his right and left make him further stand out, as do the nearby figures who look to him, just as many of the smaller powers had sought his leadership the last few months.

As Isabey was putting the finishing touches to his composition, he had to figure out what to do about the fact that the Duke of Wellington was now also in town. Starting over was out of the question. Omitting a man of his stature was equally impossible. Yet it was not easy to incorporate him into a canvas on which all the best places had already been taken. The painter's solution was simple and elegant: why not make the painting commemorate the Duke of Wellington's arrival in Vienna?

That way, the duke could simply be inserted on the far left side of the painting, without any insult to his position. As for the duke's reluctance to be painted from a side angle (he was self-conscious about his nose), Isabey had overcome that with a well-targeted compliment: didn't Wellington look like the handsome and chivalric Henry IV? Pleased with this comparison, Wellington accepted, joking that Isabey was a "good enough diplomat to take part in the Congress".

The painter also had to apply his finesse to convince Humboldt to enter the studio. The Prussian ambassador hated to have his portrait made, and, sure enough, he first declined, claiming that he had "too ugly a face ever to spend a penny" on a portrait. With this statement, Isabey saw his opportunity and emphasized that he would not "ask the slightest recompense for the pleasant trouble I am going to take". Isabey only wanted "the favor of a few sittings".

"Oh, is that all?" Humboldt quickly came around when he realized it would not cost him anything. "You can have as many sittings as you like".

Later, many congratulated Isabey on his portrait, particularly the fine job with Humboldt. The Prussian did not pay anything, as agreed, and Isabey got his revenge, Humboldt joked, by painting "an excellent likeness of me".

Few could complain of the treatment received from Isabey's flattering brush. This famous painting of the Congress of Vienna was pleasing to all, though typical of this peace conference, the scene was purely imaginary. The group of twenty-three delegates had never met in exactly this way before. Isabey had painted the portraits of each figure individually, and then later assembled the whole group together.

And so, symbolically, this simulated image would commemorate a congress that never was.

After that spectacular depiction of historical context surrounding Isabey’s magnificent canvas by David King few things are left to be added. I would simply love to highlight some other figures of utmost importance for the diplomatic life of that illustrious historical period - there are

Karl August von Hardenberg, Prime Minister of Prussia at the time;

Herren Wacken and Friedrich von Gentz, two Secretaries who were responsible for the protocols of the most important Congress' meetings;

count Karl Vasilyevich Nesselrode, a Russian-German diplomat, who was going to become state chancellor of the Russian Empire (in 1816);

prince Andrey (Andrew) Kirillovich Razumovsky, an extremely wealthy Russian aristocrat and diplomat, for whom Vienna was like his second home;

and we shouldn’t (or rather can’t) forget about general Charles Stewart-Vane, Castlereagh’s younger brother who definitely knew how to throw an unforgettable party, so refined aristocratic society could discuss his wild adventures at their fashionable salon meetings day and night. ✨

P.S.

Perhaps, there should be more posts with other details of the lithograph as well as Isabey’s original canvas, I’ll just need some time and motivation for that. 👌

[pitt-able]

The House of Commons reacting to Pitt’s Death

Pitt died on January 23, 1806 and the House of Commons meet the next day. The death of the Prime Minister had spread like wildfire – especially since his health had been so bad for so long, so there was no need for a public declaration. It was assumed everybody present was aware of the circumstances. In fact, the first order of business was a letter from the King read to the Members of Parliaments (the King thanked them for expressing their condolence upon the death of his brother, the Duke of Gloucester) and the continuous affair of the impeachment of Henry Dundas, Lord Melville. Pitt’s death was the third order of business that day. It was proposed that the House should debate his funeral and a show of public respect on Monday next, January 27.

His death was of a political and social consequence. Pitt’s passing left many important positions vacant, not just the office of Prime Minister. He had a considerable group of friends and followers in Parliament. Many of his colleagues, even if they were in opposition to his political points, expressed sympathy, respect for him.

There was also a certain order of business that was expected when a person of such public interest and a Prime Minister no less, died.

The topic of his death and funeral was again brought up on January 27, when a replacement for Pitt’s seat in Parliament was also sought. The House also took the time to reflect upon Pitt’s character and political legacy at length. Mr. Lascelles rose to present the motion:

I shall therefore conclude with moving, “That an humble address be presented to his majesty, that his majesty will be graciously pleased to give directions, that the remains of the right hon. William Pitt be interred at the public charge; and that a monument be erected, in the collegiate church of St. Peter, Westminster, to the memory of that excellent statesman, with an inscription expressive of the public sense of so great and irreparable a loss; and to assure his majesty that this house will make good the expences attending the same.”

Corbbett’s Parliamentary Debates, Vol. XI, London, p. 73.

The vote went as follows:

Corbbett’s Parliamentary Debates, Vol. XI, London, pp. 73-74.

Mentioned in the last instant is the debate over the full payment of Pitt’s debts (messy affair and messy debate) that would be discussed Monday next, February 3, 1806. On that day, the House was much more divided upon the topic of Pitt’s debts, but one very interesting speech came from nonother than Charles James Fox:

I shortened his speech a bit, but Fox essentially goes on to criticize some of the arguments and tactics made by the other proponents of the notion – while still being in support himself.

Corbbett’s Parliamentary Debates, Vol. XI, London, pp. 127-140.

[lady-lunaria]

Wellington : There. How do I look?

Castlereagh : Like a cheap French harlot.

Wellington : French?!

[mariacallous]

Lord Castlereagh had a five-hour audience with George [IV] which began with a three-hour speech from the King extolling the virtues and the necessity of a divorce. But Castlereagh was known to be brilliant in private negotiation, and was altogether a superior man to his monarch. Unknown to many of the hostile British population, his lofty air was underpinned by a strong morality and, though he lacked the King’s East charm, he was able to wear down opponents by persistence, knowledge and conviction; William Wilberforce was so wary of Castlereagh’s negotiating skills that he insisted on dealing with him by letter. George was not given to feelings of inferiority, but he was facing a man who had already proved himself one of the greatest Foreign Secretaries in British history and, by the by, had retained his proud good looks while the King had lost his.

From The Trial of Queen Caroline: The Scandalous Affair that Nearly Ended a Monarchy by Jane Robins

I do love it when historians and authors Just Get It.

[koda-friedrich]

Robin🪶

[dialogue-queered]

Image:Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh,1843 John Richardson Jackson (engraver).

Curatorial Concept: Public figures with ‘queer’ or unconventional tastes, and their impact.

*One artifact on show in the 2022 ‘Queer: Stories from the NGV Collection’ at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.

Historical Note: British Foreign Secretary after Waterloo (ie after 1815), Castlereagh played a decisive role in shaping European politics. In the context of post-Napoleonic political liberalisation in France, he and his cabinet colleagues aligned Britain with the French, where necessary, against the authoritarian, so-called ‘Eastern’ powers: Russia, Prussia and Austria. Even more importantly, though, he helped create and enact the so-called ‘Concert of Europe’ - an international security regime whereby the dominant European powers agreed to explicitly negotiate differences and adjustments in their roles through dialogue and collaboration so as to prevent any new attempt at continental hegemony by any one power. The arrangement worked more fully from 1815-1854, and influenced behaviours for the rest of the C19th. At home, Castlereagh was a controversial if shy, handsome, Anglo-Irish politician. Sadly, though, Castlereagh was blackmailed for same-sex contact at a time of high personal stress, even paranoia. He appears to have revealed the blackmail to the then British monarch (who was a personal friend) leading, shortly after, to suicide by pen-knife in August 1822. According to the ‘Queer’ exhibition wall notes, his wife subsequently revealed that, as a matter of desire, Castlereagh preferred men. Castlereagh’s name has enjoyed frequent memorialisation in Australia, especially the state of New South Wales.

[clove-pinks]

Cracking open a War of 1812 book after midnight and omg @anarchist-mariner it's your guys George Canning and Lord Castlereagh, in a spat over the loss of HMS Guerriere and other naval defeats!

[werewolfetone]

[jrkyy]

[lordcastaway]

there are two parenting metho- i mean ways how to talk to your tantrum throwing monarch when he wants something stupid (to divorce his wife) and it's kinda a bad idea (he tried and failed before):

1) the castlereagh method — spend five hours of your life gently explaining to your local george iv that he might be a bit wrong, tell him a few funny (?) jokes, pet him gently, hint slightly that you have been working really hard to make him happy and it's not like he would want you to have a nervous breakdown and then get traumatised 4 life by your sudden death, right? right?????

2) the liverpool method — throw a chair at him or smth

[lordansketil]

Lord Camden worried that being too interested in stem and neglecting the humanities is going to negatively impact Castlereagh’s future career is so funny to me.

[count-lero]

Okay, I guess, this artwork (drawing practice?) can be present here as well. 😮‍💨

For some reason I haven’t tried to depict Wellington and Castlereagh for 2 years and a half. Last August something made me to do it, however I was able to finish the art only recently.

Still can’t make myself draw someone less popular from the British side of the Napoleonic era. Hopefully, this situation is going to change one day…

At least, the finishing process was very fun! I’m slowly rewatching “Sharpe’s rifles” 5 years after the first viewing and can’t get enough of what I’m seeing, friendly speaking. X)

Like, I feel quite positive about the books and the show itself, even though I may get critique for that. Probably, rightfully. 😗