Your author popped in a few weeks ago at the invitation of the Gallery and despite reservations that it might be an exhibition made up entirely of big pictures of Kings and Queens, there was plenty to entertain those who aren't fervent monarchists, such as two views of the Thames by Canaletto, an interesting View and Perspective of London, Westminster and St James's Park by Johannes Kip, some plans and impressions of the Battle of Culloden, some very interesting botanical drawings, a collection of Hogarth Prints and a recreation of a Georgian coffee shop. Meanwhile, for those who love that sort of thing it's a veritable feast of pictures of aristocrats and Royals eating, riding horses, standing about and fighting. It's all worth a look if you have the time and money, and is certainly the sort of thing that visitors to Buckingham Palace will be hoping for.
The exhibition continues until October. For more, see http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/exhibitions/the-first-georgians-art-monarchy-1714-1760
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I have friends in the UK who will go to special exhibitions for me, if and when I cannot travel from Australia. That works well for written reports of the objects and for catalogues, but not for inspecting Georgian coffee shops etc.
ReplyDeleteRoyal portraits are interesting, but you are spot on; the Georgians got involved in so many interesting activities, both respectable and a bit sleazy. Hogarth was provocative, yet he was successful! Amazing!