Tudors to Windsors - National Portrait Gallery

The Collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London, embraces
over 500 years of British history,
more than 60,000
sitters and explores ideas of social change, power and influence. Arguably as
powerful and influential as any individual
are the heads of state and empire, whose portraits are
among the most popular in the Gallery's Collection.


For the exhibition that accompanies this book, the
portraits of
kings, queens, statesmen and
stateswomen featured
will go on tour for the first time, providing international audiences with the
opportunity to
encounter
these famous historical and contemporary personalities face to face. The
publication
traces major events in British history and
examines the ways in which royal portraiture
has
reflected individual sitters' personalities and wider social, cultural and historical change.
Works are arranged chronologically in sections, each of which
is prefaced by an introductory text and
timeline providing context to the period in question. Particularly significant portraits from each
period
are ac companied by extended captions
that provide
key information on the sitter and the
artist.
Tudors to Windsors also considers how each dynasty has been perceived and interpreted
subsequently, with reference to popular culture and contemporary sources.


A number of features on topics such as
Royal Favourites, Royal Weddings, Satire,
Royals at War,
and
Royal Fashion and Jewellery provide insights into particular aspects of royal portraiture and
trends within the genre.


The publication
includes a foreword by the Gallery's
Director,
a fully illustrated
introductory
essay
discussing royal patronage and key artists in royal portraiture, and an essay by David Cannadine on
the historical role of the monarchy in Britain.