Sketch for Illustration to Bowyer’s ‘History of England’: Queen Elizabeth at Tilbury 1805

Editor: So, this is Thomas Stothard’s "Sketch for Illustration to Bowyer’s ‘History of England’: Queen Elizabeth at Tilbury." It’s at the Tate. It feels so ephemeral, almost like a dream. What do you make of this sketch? Curator: Ah, yes, a fleeting moment captured in ink. I see a dance between power and fragility, the Queen a beacon of strength, yet the sketch itself so delicate, hinting at the precariousness of her reign, wouldn't you say? Editor: That's a great way to put it. It really highlights the contrast. Curator: Indeed. It’s as if Stothard knew that history, like art, is but a sketch in the grand scheme.