Richard, Duke of York, taking leave of his mother, Elizabeth Woodville, in the Sanctuary, Westminster

Cipriani employed watercolour with a restrained palette and fine brushwork to convey texture and atmosphere. The figures are rendered with soft contours, their expressions subdued, while architectural details of the sanctuary are suggested rather than fully defined. This approach aligns with 18th-century British watercolour practices that prioritized mood and narrative nuance over grandeur, reflecting a taste for quiet, introspective history painting.

The work was completed in 1785, during a period when British artists increasingly turned to historical and literary subjects for patronage. Its origin likely lies in private commissions or academic circles interested in Tudor history. While its early ownership is undocumented, its survival and signature suggest it was valued as a finished work, possibly displayed in a collector’s cabinet or studied as an example of historical watercolour technique.

Cipriani’s depiction emerges from a broader 18th-century fascination with England’s medieval past, particularly the Wars of the Roses. Though the sanctuary scene lacks direct historical documentation, it resonates with contemporary literary and theatrical portrayals of royal tragedy. The choice of watercolour, rather than oil, signals a preference for intimacy and scholarly reflection over public spectacle.

Though not widely exhibited today, the work remains a representative example of late 18th-century British watercolour history painting. It illustrates how artists like Cipriani contributed to shaping public memory of medieval England through quiet, emotionally calibrated scenes. Its preservation offers insight into the evolving relationship between historical narrative and artistic medium in an age of antiquarian interest.