Yeomen of the Guard 1898

William Nicholson created this woodcut print, "Yeoman of the Guard," at the turn of the 20th century. The image portrays a Beefeater, one of the ceremonial guards of the Tower of London, standing rigidly in his Tudor-style uniform. Nicholson, working amidst debates about British identity and imperial power, presents a figure deeply entwined with the nation's history. Yet, the artist simplifies and flattens the image, reducing the guard to a set of iconic symbols: the distinctive hat, ruff, and the Tower itself. This aesthetic choice moves away from traditional portraiture, inviting viewers to consider the guard not as an individual, but as a representation of Englishness. The guard's stoic pose hints at the weight of tradition and duty, raising questions about who is included and excluded from such displays of national pride. Nicholson captures the ambivalence of those times, when symbols of power and history were both celebrated and questioned.