Artwork

Prince Rupert receiving the Charter of the Hudson Bay Company from Charles II

Elijah Albert Cox , 1920

Prince Rupert receiving the Charter of the Hudson Bay Company from Charles II is a drawing by Elijah Albert Cox. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Elijah Albert Cox’s 1920 chalk drawing records a ceremonial moment in which Prince Rupert is presented with the charter of the Hudson’s Bay Company by King Charles II. Executed in a rapid, sketch‑like manner, the work captures the interaction between the two figures with a sense of immediacy, emphasizing gesture over fine detail.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on Prince Rupert, depicted in a voluminous coat with a high collar, holding a folded document that signifies the royal grant establishing the fur‑trading enterprise. Opposite him stands Charles II, whose posture suggests the act of bestowing authority. The scene reflects the political and commercial significance of the charter in the expansion of English colonial trade.

Technique & Style

Cox employs chalk with pronounced cross‑hatching to model the heavy folds of the coat and the texture of the surrounding fabric. The lines are loose and gestural, creating a sketchy, unfinished quality that conveys movement. Heavy shading defines volume, while the paper in Rupert’s hand is rendered with only a faint outline, underscoring its symbolic importance rather than its physical detail.

History & Provenance

Created in 1920, the drawing forms part of Cox’s broader interest in historical subjects. It has been retained within the artist’s estate and subsequently entered a museum collection specializing in British colonial history. The work serves as a visual document of early‑modern corporate foundations, linking 17th‑century royal patronage to the later historiography of the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Artist & collection

Artist

Elijah Albert Cox

Elijah Albert Cox (1876–1955), also known as E. A. Cox and E. Albert Cox, was a British painter. He was born in Islington, London, and educated at Bolt Court Technical School. Between 1915 and 1926, Cox designed posters…