After the death of Prince Albert in 1861 the Queen was ‘seized with a great wish’ to have Landseer compose a pair of paintings – Sunshine and Shadow – to illustrate the contrast between the happy times she had enjoyed during Albert’s lifetime with the grief she was enduring since his death. She wanted to be depicted ‘as I am now, sad & lonely, seated on my pony, led by Brown, with a representation of Osborne’. The Queen is in deep mourning, reading a letter. She is seated on her pony, Flora, which is held by John Brown. Behind is the terrace at Osborne. The clock stands at 3 pm. On the ground lie the Queen’s gloves and letters and she is accompanied by two dogs, a Border collie (probably Sharp) and a Skye terrier called Prince. The box which had contained the letters is also on the ground. Princess Louise and Princess Helena are sitting in the background with a terrier.

John Brown was a ghillie (outdoor servant) at Balmoral Castle in Scotland which the Queen and Prince Albert had bought in 1853. After Albert’s death the Queen developed a close relationship with him, and he was extremely protective of her. Shortly after Brown’s death in 1883 the Queen wrote in a letter ‘Perhaps never in history was there so strong and true an attachment, so warm and loving a friendship between the sovereign and servant…Strength of character as well as power of frame – the most fearless uprightness, kindness, sense of justice, honesty, independence and unselfishness combined with a tender, warm heart…the most remarkable of men’.

As well as a number of sittings from life for the painting, Landseer was also provided with photographs of the Queen on horseback, the two Princesses, Prince (Princess Louise’s dog) and John Brown. Landseer began the composition in 1865 but had not apparently begun painting by the end of January 1867. He claimed that London fogs, bad weather and strain on his sight had delayed his progress. The picture was shown at the Royal Academy in 1867 and Landseer wrote ‘If there is any merit in my treatment of the composition it is in the truthful and unaffected representation of Her Majesty’s unceasing grief – The story should be told by the Picture’.