The Crimean War occurred mid century just at a time when Staffordshire Pottery was at the peak of its production so obviously features heavily as a source of influence for all sorts of portrait figures.
As I think I have mentioned statesmen are not really my field of interest, but I thought I would highlight a couple to show how fickle international politics could be. First is a celebratory group of the Allied powers showing Queen Victoria, Abdul Medjid and Napoleopn III arm in arm after their victory over Russia in 1854.
However, six years later amidst scares of French Imperial expansionism (as opposed to ours) and a Anglo-French war Napoleon III is now depicted prostrate beneath the British Lion.
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