Summary
A high-contrast black-on-deep-red screenprint depicting Queen Victoria seated upright in full regalia — crown and royal sceptre in hand — but positioned astride another woman in a stockinged, garter-clad pose, a deliberately lewd "sitting on a face" arrangement that turns the icon of Victorian moral propriety into a queer, sexualized provocation. It is one of Banksy's most pointed early attacks on the British establishment and a signature work of his Stencil Boom Era.
Why It Matters
The print weaponizes the most rigidly chaste figurehead in British history — the monarch whose name became shorthand for sexual repression — by depicting her engaged in a lesbian act, collapsing imperial authority, prudish "Victorian values," and state power into a single transgressive image. It is Banksy operating at the intersection of his Royalty & Celebrity and Protest & Subversion themes: anti-establishment shock delivered with the economy of a single stencil and a punchy two-color palette. The red ground reads as both regal velvet and provocation, and the reductive black silhouette is the artist at his stenciling peak, making a complex political joke land instantly.
Collector Perspective
This is the unsigned edition of 70, published in 2003 during Banksy's most collectible early period. Unsigned copies sit below the signed edition in both price and desirability, and with only 70 produced the unsigned run is genuinely small — scarcer in raw numbers than many later, larger Banksy editions. As an early, overtly transgressive image with strong wall presence, Queen Victoria holds steady collector demand, though condition is critical: the saturated red ground shows handling, fading, and edge wear easily, and authentication/provenance (COA, Pest Control where applicable) materially affects realized prices. A solid early-period acquisition rather than a blue-chip headline lot; the signed version commands the premium.
Historical Context
Produced in 2003, when Banksy was transitioning from Bristol and London street stencils into gallery-distributed editioned prints, Queen Victoria belongs to the Stencil Boom Era that defined his visual signature before the later stunts and record auction results. It targets Queen Victoria (reigned 1837–1901), whose era lent its name to a culture of sexual repression and imperial moralism; depicting her in an explicit same-sex act is a direct inversion of that legacy and of the monarchy's untouchable status. The work predates and anticipates Banksy's continued skewering of royal and national iconography across the 2000s.
FAQ
What does this Banksy print depict?
It shows Queen Victoria in full regalia — crown and sceptre — seated astride another woman in a stockinged, garter-clad pose, a deliberately explicit lesbian arrangement that subverts the icon of Victorian sexual propriety. It is rendered as a stark black silhouette on a deep red background.
What is the edition size?
The edition is 70.
Is this print signed or unsigned?
This is the unsigned edition. Banksy also produced a signed version of Queen Victoria, which typically commands a higher price; unsigned copies sit below signed ones in value and desirability.
What medium is it?
It is a screen print (screenprint), produced in 2003 in Banksy's two-color, single-stencil style.
Who is Banksy?
Banksy is the anonymous England-based street artist who emerged from Bristol in the early 1990s, known for fast stencil work, dark humour, and anti-establishment, anti-war and anti-capitalist messages, plus stunts like the self-shredding Girl with Balloon and the Walled Off Hotel.
About the Artist
Banksy is an anonymous England-based street artist, political activist and film director whose identity remains officially unconfirmed. Emerging from the Bristol underground scene in the early 1990s, he developed a fast, stencil-based technique for working in public space, pairing dark humour with anti-war, anti-capitalist and anti-establishment messages. Recurring motifs include rats, monkeys, riot police, and children with balloons or weapons. Many of his prints were published through Pictures on Walls and rank among the most heavily traded in the secondary market, while stunts such as the self-shredding Girl with Balloon, the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem and the Gross Domestic Product homeware line have made him one of the most recognised artists in the world.
Collecting Banksy at Gauntlet Gallery
Where can I buy authentic Banksy prints?
Gauntlet Gallery offers an extensive, authenticated inventory of Banksy prints and contemporary editions, with new drops added regularly. Browse the current collection at gauntlet.gallery.
How does Gauntlet Gallery ensure authenticity?
Gauntlet Gallery is built on curation, authenticity and transparency — every work is vetted and its provenance, edition details and condition are disclosed up front.
Does Gauntlet Gallery add new Banksy prints?
Yes. New drops are released regularly across Banksy and other leading artists; see gauntlet.gallery for the latest inventory.