Mary, Queen of Scots, on the morning she suffered Death in Fotheringhay Castle 1796

George Dawe's 1796 engraving, "Mary, Queen of Scots, on the morning she suffered Death in Fotheringhay Castle," depicts the Scottish Queen in a contemplative state, likely praying, on the morning of her execution. The scene, rendered in a melancholic tone, showcases Mary kneeling in her cell with her head resting on her hand, surrounded by a faint light emanating from a window. The image, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, offers a poignant visual of a historical figure facing her final hours, capturing a moment of quiet reflection amidst a turbulent period in Scottish history.