Monday, August 18, 2014

Royal Martyr

1628
young Charles
Daniel Mytens

Portraits of Charles I abound in the Royal Collection. Charles was himself an aggressive art patron, free with commissions. Eventually the drama of the Civil War resulted in the King's execution, an event that generated much industrious memorial production. Later British monarchs continued to participate in this cult  purchasing portraits of Charles from London auction houses or receiving them as gifts  throughpit the 19th and 20th centuries.

1630-32
Charles & Henrietta Maria
Daniel Mytens

1630-32
Charles & Henrietta Maria
Daniel Mytens

1632
Charles with family
Hendrick Pot

1931-32
Charles with family
Anthony Van Dyck

1633
Charles with M. de St. Antoine
Anthony Van Dyck

1635
Charles & Henrietta Maria with Earls of Pembroke
English painter

1635-36
Three eldest children of Charles I
Anthony Van Dyck

1635-36
Triple portrait of Charles I
Anthony Van Dyck

1637
Five eldest children of Charles I
Anthony Van Dyck

1642-46
Charles at Oxford during the Civil War
William Dobson

1648
Charles at his trial
Edward Bower

1649
Charles before execution
Goddard Dunning

1660s
Posthumous Charles as Glorified Martyr
English painter