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
1,000 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 and objects, it covers all aspects of the fine
and decorative arts, from paintings by Rembrandt and Michelangelo to
grand sculpture, Fabergé eggs and 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 and obsessions of kings and queens
over the past 500 years.
With unprecedented access to the royal residences of St James' Palace,
Windsor Castle and 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 and 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 and
sciences during the Enlightenment and 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 and a major exhibition at the
Royal Academy, Art, Passion & Power is the definitive statement on the
British monarchy's treasures of the art world.
