King George II

King George II of Great Britain poses in state robes in this portrait probably made between 1749 and 1755 by John Shackleton, who served as "Principal Painter in Ordinary" to the monarch. The king wears the insignia of a knight of the Order of the Garter—an ancient order of chivalry—which includes the garter on his left leg bearing the order's motto, "honi soit qui mal y pense" ("may he be shamed who thinks badly of it") and a gold collar strung around his neck. Enamel medallions stud the solid gold collar, and the figure of Saint George slaying a dragon hangs from the center of it. The scepter in the king's right hand, and the orb and crown on the cushion next to him, are all symbols of his royal power.