'Lord Strafford'

Photograph of a painting by Paul Delaroche, created in 1835 and first shown at the Paris salon of 1837. Probably inspired by a scene from Alfred de Vigny’s novel Cinq-Mars describing the execution of Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford (1593-1641), the work depicts Strafford's final moments outside a cell in the Tower of London. He is shown genuflecting facing towards the cell’s iron-grilled window. The hands of his fellow-prisoner, Archbishop Laud (1573-1645), can be seen blessing Strafford through the window’s bars. A guard awaits in the foreground, to the left, whilst three men sand in the background, to the right.