|
The Sale of the Late King’s
Goods
Jerry Brotton,
Macmillan
Daily Telegraph
'So wonderful and glorious a collection, that the like will
never again be met with'. This is how one awed and wistful
observer described King Charles's artworks. During his reign,
Charles I assembled an array of paintings by Europe’s
great masters that lays claim to being the finest private
art collection ever to exist. After his death, the collection
was sold off to raise money for Cromwell’s new regime,
resulting in a world where diplomats doubled as art dealers,
and ordinary working people (including the King’s plumber)
became owners of priceless works of art. This is a vivid
portrait of a tragic king and his decadent court, set against
the backdrop of political conflict and civil war, which also
offers a new and compelling perspective on art and the evolution
of collecting in England.
Jerry Brotton is Senior Lecturer in Renaissance Studies
at Queen Mary, University of London. He is the author of
several books, including the highly acclaimed The Renaissance
Bazaar. He is a regular reviewer and broadcaster, appearing
in the BBC documentary, Leonardo, and in The
Medici on Channel 4.
|
