Plucking the Red and White Roses in the Old Temple Gardens

This is the preliminary painting for a mural in the East Corridor of the Palace of Westminster,^[1] presented by Earl Beauchamp.^[2] The painting is of William Shakespeare's version of the splitting of nobles into the factions of York and Lancaster, sparking the Wars of the Roses in 15th-century England. Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York and his followers select the white rose, while the Duke of Somerset and his sole companion took the red. Copies of this painting were made available to English society; Sir John Holding had a copy,^[3] and it was reproduced in various publications.^[4][5]