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Description
The paper aims to present the figure of the titular Queen of Great Britain Maria Klementyna Sobieska-Stuart based on medals which commemorate the most important moments in her life. The medals were minted by the top-class medalist Otto Hamerani at the request of Popes Clement XI and Benedict XIV. The medals commemorate the princess's escape from captivity in Ambras Castle, her triumphal journey to Montefiascone for her marriage with James Edward Francis Stuart, the glory of the royal couple, the birth of her sons and the death of the queen. So far, the collection has not been the subject of any special consideration. It is an invaluable resource for research owing to the symbolism of representations which refer to mythological archetypes, strongly rooted in the European art of portraiture. All of them testified the importance of the Stuart legacy and present an overview of their unsettled life.
