Reluctance Collection

Excalibur Restored
Sir Bedivere, with considerable reluctance, restores the magic sword Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake

Scene from Shakespeares Twelfth Night
A scene from Shakespeares comedy, Twelfth Night, in which Sir Toby Belch encourages the reluctant duellists, Sir Andrew Aguecheek and the page Cesario (Viola disguised)

Parable of Neighbour
The parable of the ungracious neighbour who only with extreme reluctance accedes to his neighbours request for some bread. Not like God, who is always happy to help

Voyons madame, un peu de courage... 1858. Creator: Honore Daumier
Voyons madame, un peu de courage... 1858. Voyons madame, un peu de courage...Une reine ne doit pas trembler comme ca...rappelez-vous donc que vous etes une reine et que vous allez dire des vers du

Gentleman tries to persuade a doubting lady on a sofa, 1869-1923. Creator: Theophile Alexandre Steinlen
Gentleman tries to persuade a doubting lady on a sofa, 1869-1923. Design for a print

The Farewell, 1842 (oil on board)
658764 The Farewell, 1842 (oil on board) by Becker, Jakob (1810-40); 92x73 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The Farewell. Jakob Becker (1810-1872). Oil on board. Signed and dated 1842

A Love Letter (Procuress), second half of 16th century. Artist: French Master
A Love Letter (Procuress), second half of 16th century. Found in the collection of the State A Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow

Saint Euphemia Died Circa 307 Martyr Chalcedon
saint, euphemia, died, circa, 307, martyr, chalcedon, kadikoy, turkey, reluctance, abandon, christian, faith, led, mauled, bitten, death, bear, history, historical, 10158219

Im Faschingstrubel (colour litho)
3646186 Im Faschingstrubel (colour litho) by Reznicek, Ferdinand von (1868-1909); Private Collection; (add.info.: Im Faschingstrubel)

The youngest sons farewell, 1867 (oil on canvas)
OVR390588 The youngest sons farewell, 1867 (oil on canvas) by Tidemand, Adolph (1814-76); 82x70.6 cm; Bergen Art Museum, Norway; Photo © O. Vaering

King John signing the Magna Carta reluctantly (colour litho)
STC308521 King John signing the Magna Carta reluctantly (colour litho) by Michael, Arthur C. (d.1945) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: King John (1167-1216) signing the Magna Carta

No. 2: He Won't Be A Soldier, May 1, 1798. Creator: Heinrich Schutz
No. 2: He Won't Be A Soldier, May 1, 1798

The Parting of Lord William and Lady Rachel Russell in 1683
989988 The Parting of Lord William and Lady Rachel Russell in 1683 (The Last Interview of Lord and Lady Russell), 1852 (oil on canvas) by Lucy

Obesity: boy asking his fat father when he is going to make a balloon ascent (chromolitho)
5996012 Obesity: boy asking his fat father when he is going to make a balloon ascent (chromolitho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Obesity)

La Bonne et le Patron Galant, c. 1830 (colour litho)
CHT252556 La Bonne et le Patron Galant, c.1830 (colour litho) by Villain, Henri (fl.1820-30); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris

The Kiss (oil on panel)
615714 The Kiss (oil on panel) by Duverger, Theophile Emmanuel (1821-86); 36.8x46 cm; Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; French, out of copyright

Return to School (oil on panel)
CH466181 Return to School (oil on panel) by Geoffroy, Henri Jules Jean (1853-1924); 45x54.7 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: La Rentee a L Ecole; ); Photo eChristies Images; French

King John sealing Magna Carta, engraved by W. French (litho)
475412 King John sealing Magna Carta, engraved by W. French (litho) by Lonsdale, James (1777-1839); Private Collection; (add.info.: King John (1167-1216) signing the Magna Carta

John, King of England, 1870 (engraving)
2563384 John, King of England, 1870 (engraving) by Chappel, Alonzo (1828-87) (after); Free Library of Philadelphia; (add.info.: John (24 December 1166 - 19 October 1216), also known as John Lackland

King John signing Magna Carta, 1215 (engraving)
972352 King John signing Magna Carta, 1215 (engraving) by Chappel, Alonzo (1828-87) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: King John signing Magna Carta, 1215)

Elizabeth signs Marys death-warrant, illustration from Hutchinson
STC373633 Elizabeth signs Marys death-warrant, illustration from Hutchinsons Story of the British Nation, c.1923 (litho) by Schrader

The Devils Bridge, 1931 (oil on canvas)
BAL347486 The Devils Bridge, 1931 (oil on canvas) by Grekov, Mitrofan Borisovic (1882-1934); State Central Military Museum, Moscow, Russia; Russian, out of copyright

Back to school - then and now (colour litho)
2818336 Back to school - then and now (colour litho) by Meyer, Henri (1841-99) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Back to school - then and now. La rentree des classes. Autrefois. Aujourd hui)

Cover illustration for Jugend magazine, 1896 (colour litho)
6000170 Cover illustration for Jugend magazine, 1896 (colour litho) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cover illustration for Jugend magazine, 1896)

Matrimonial office (colour litho)
5996059 Matrimonial office (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Matrimonial office. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

M Alfred Marche Dans L Afrique Occidentale (engraving)
2789313 M Alfred Marche Dans L Afrique Occidentale (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: M Alfred Marche Dans L Afrique Occidentale)

Francis II of France informing deputies of parliament that he has chosen his uncles, the Duke of Guise and Charles
969169 Francis II of France informing deputies of parliament that he has chosen his uncles, the Duke of Guise and Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine, to govern for him, 1559 (engraving) by French School

Moeurs Et Coutumes Annamites (engraving)
2789024 Moeurs Et Coutumes Annamites (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Moeurs Et Coutumes Annamites)

King John signs the Great Charter
LLM339229 King John signs the Great Charter by Doyle, James William Edmund (1822-92); Private Collection; (add.info.: King John signs the Great Charter)

The Parables of Christ: The Parable of the Friend at Midnight (chromolitho)
6001784 The Parables of Christ: The Parable of the Friend at Midnight (chromolitho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Parables of Christ)

Marriage Proposal of the Windbag (engraving)
3648124 Marriage Proposal of the Windbag (engraving) by Chodowiecki, Daniel Nikolaus (1726-1801) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Marriage Proposal of the Windbag)

Marriage Proposal of the Antiquary (engraving)
3648121 Marriage Proposal of the Antiquary (engraving) by Chodowiecki, Daniel Nikolaus (1726-1801) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Marriage Proposal of the Antiquary)

King John Signing Magna Carta, from The Comic History of England, pub
3075747 King John Signing Magna Carta, from The Comic History of England, pub. 1864 (hand coloured etching) by Leech, John (1817-64); Private Collection; (add.info)

No, no... definitely NO
Deborah Gugeri

The Abbess, from the Dance of Death, 1651. Creator: Wenceslaus Hollar
The Abbess, from the Dance of Death, 1651

The Monk, from the Dance of Death, 1651. Creator: Wenceslaus Hollar
The Monk, from the Dance of Death, 1651

Abbot, from the Dance of Death, 1651. Creator: Wenceslaus Hollar
Abbot, from the Dance of Death, 1651

October Celebration in Rome, c1842, (1965). Creator: Aleksandr Ivanov
October Celebration in Rome, c1842, (1965). A group of people gathered around a bewildered-looking man. Painting in the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Cupid Bound, 1908. Artist: Anna Lea Merritt
Cupid Bound, 1908. Cupid being embraced; his bow and arrows are on the ground beside him

Anselm made Archbishop of Canterbury by William II, 1093 (1864). St Anselm (1033-1109) was an Italian-born Benedictine monk and an influential philosopher and theologian

A Premiere, 1888 (1945). Artist: Anders Leonard Zorn
A Premiere, 1888 (1945). A print from Konstnarsforbundets Historia I by Sixten Strombom, Stockholm, 1945

Lady Jane Greys Reluctance to Accept the Crown, (19th century). Artist: Herbert Bourne
Lady Jane Greys Reluctance to Accept the Crown, (19th century). Lady Jane Grey, (1537-1554), was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of England for nine days in 1553

St Anselm reluctantly accepting the Archbishopric of Canterbury, 1093 (1864). Anselm (1033-1109), an Italian-born Benedictine monk was an influential philosopher and theologian

Lady Jane Greys Reluctance To Accept The Crown Sion House July 8Th 1553. From The National And Domestic History Of England By William Aubrey Published London Circa 1890

Lady Jane Grey being offered the Crown of England, which she only accepted with great reluctance. 1553

12-YEAR TRUCE - 1
Despite the reluctance of Felipe III of Spain, a 12-year truce is agreed at Den Haag between Austria and the Netherlands. Date: 9 April 1609

Before the Marriage (oil on canvas)
BAL347487 Before the Marriage (oil on canvas) by Gribkov, Sergei Ivanovich (1820-93); Regional Art Gallery, Tambov; Russian, out of copyright

Senior man gesturing (B&W)

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"Reluctance: A Tapestry of Emotions and Stories" In the grand halls of Excalibur Restored, a sense lingers in the air, as if destiny itself hesitates to unfold its secrets, and is reminiscent of a scene from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, where unrequited love dances with hesitant hearts. Like the Parable of Neighbour they can be found in unexpected places. Just as Saint Euphemia died a martyr in Chalcedon around 307 AD, sometimes we must face our fears and embrace our fate reluctantly. The Farewell, 1842 (oil on board) captures that bittersweet moment when two souls part ways with heavy hearts. Similarly, within A Love Letter (Procuress), second half of the 16th century by an unknown French Master artist, one can feel the hesitation and longing embedded within each stroke. Im Faschingstrubel (colour litho) portrays the whirlwind chaos of life's festivities where even amidst joyous celebrations there exists a hint to fully let go. In The Youngest Son's Farewell, 1867 (oil on canvas), we witness a poignant farewell filled with trepidation and uncertainty for what lies ahead. Even historical events like King John signing the Magna Carta reluctantly remind us that powerful figures too experience moments when they question their own decisions. No. 2: He Won't Be A Soldier depicts Heinrich Schutz's resistance against societal expectations during May 1st in1798. The Parting of Lord William and Lady Rachel Russell in 1683 showcases how even noble love stories are not immune to reluctant goodbyes that tug at one's heartstrings. And finally, Obesity: Boy asking his fat father when he is going to make a balloon ascent (chromolitho) humorously reminds us that sometimes we need gentle encouragement to overcome our own hesitations.