Art, Passion & Power: The Story Of The Royal Collection

Product Description

Hall's consummate history is not just the story of the evolution of one of the world's great collections The book is also a through-the-keyhole insight into the shifting tastes good or bad of 1000 years of monarchs- The Times The Royal Collection is the last great collection formed by the European monarchies to have survived into the twenty-first century Containing over a million artworks & objects it covers all aspects of the fine & decorative arts from paintings by Rembrandt & Michelangelo to grand sculpture Faberge eggs & some of the most exquisite furniture ever made The Royal Collection also offers a revealing insight into the history of the British monarchy from William the Conqueror to Queen Elizabeth II recording the tastes & obsessions of kings & queens over the past 500 years With unprecedented access to the royal residences of St James' Palace Windsor Castle & Buckingham Palace Art Passion & Power traces the history of this national institution from the Middle Ages to the present day exploring how royalty used the arts to strengthen their position as rulers by divine right & celebrating treasures from the Crown Jewels to the " Abraham" tapestries in Hampton Court Palace Author Michael Hall examines the monarchy's response to changing attitudes to the arts & sciences during the Enlightenment & celebrates the British monarchy's role in the democratisation of art in the modern world Packed with glimpses of rarely seen artworks Art Passion & Power is a visual treat for all art enthusiasts Accompanying the BBC television series & a major exhibition at the Royal Academy Art Passion & Power is the definitive statement on the British monarchy's treasures of the art world