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Exhibition

Charles II: Art & Power

Detail from Verrio's Sea Triumph of Charles II ©
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The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace

OTHER VENUES
The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace The Queen's Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse
  • Daily (Friday, 8 Dec 2017 - Sunday, 13 May 2018)

After over a decade of austere Cromwellian rule, the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 led to a resurgence of the arts in England.  The court of Charles II became the centre for the patronage of leading artists and the collecting of great works of art, which served not only as decoration for the royal apartments but also as a means of glorifying the restored monarchy and reinforcing the position of Charles II as the rightful king. 

From John Michael Wright's monumental portrait of Charles II in his coronation robes and a glittering silver-gilt plate which adorned the high-altar of Westminster Abbey during the King's coronation, to old master paintings, tapestries and spectacular silver-gilt furniture, the exhibition shows the rich material world of Charles II's court and the role of the arts in the re-establishment of the Stuart monarchy.

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Highlight objects

John Michael Wright (1617-94)

Charles II (1630-1685)

Johann Hass

The Exeter Salt

Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)

Oak (Quercus robur) and dyer's greenweed (Genista tinctoria)

Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525-1569)

Massacre of the Innocents
Explore the exhibition

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Portrait of Charles II
Introduction

Art and power were inseparable in the restored Stuart court

An etching of the interior of Westminster Abbey, including the tapestries which lined the walls, the display of plate on the altar, and the banks of spectators who filled the transepts. In the centre Charles II appears twice, at the moment of the crowning
The revival of ceremony

The new king set about reinstating traditional royal ceremonies

This broadside, along with a first part that had been published two weeks before, reissues the ballad A New Narrative of the Popish Plot (1679 or 1680), probably written by John Gadbury. The title is satirical, ridiculing Titus Oates's 'off
The circulation of images

Charles' return coincided with a boom in print production in Britain

Vorsterman was a Dutch landscape painter, pupil in Utrecht of Herman Saftleven (1609-85), who came to England during the reign of Charles II. This is one of a pair of views of Windsor Castle (OM 418-9, RCIN 405265 and 406508), which are described as V
Charles II's Palaces

Charles' desire to rebuild his palaces was only truly realised at Windsor

1 broadside. A proclamation issued by Charles II on 14 August 1660, soon after his Restoration to the throne, commanding the return of items from the collections of his father Charles I, his mother Queen Henrietta Maria, and of himself, that had been
Recovering the collection

The recovery of the Royal Collection was one of the first priorities after the Restoration

The Bolognese artist Benedetto Gennari trained in the studio of his uncle, Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, known as Guercino. In 1672 Gennari travelled to Paris to seek the patronage of Louis XIV. He was favourably received and during his 16 months there is
Acquisitions and courtier gifts

The Royal Collection also grew through gifts and acquisitions

According to St Matthew’s Gospel, after hearing from the wise men of the birth of Jesus, King Herod ordered that all children in Bethlehem under the age of two be murdered. Bruegel set the story as a contemporary Flemish atrocity so that the soldier
Paintings bought from William Frizzel

Charles acquired 72 works, including Italian Renaissance and Northern Old Masters, from William Frizzel

This portrait of the successful Venetian merchant Andrea Odoni (1488-1545) is one of the most innovative and dynamic portraits of the Italian Renaissance by Lorenzo Lotto, recently returned to Venice after thirteen years in Bergamo and anxious to impress
The Dutch Gift

The Dutch GIft recognised the closed connections between the British and Dutch Crowns.

The comic actor and playwright, John Lacy (c.1615–81), star performer at the Theatre Royal in the 1660s, was a particular favourite of the king. Born near Doncaster, he was apprenticed to the dancing master, John Ogilby, in 1631 and soon appeared on
Court society and portraiture

Charles' court was full of scientists, actors, poets and artists

On the recto, a drawing of Neptune, standing in a chariot drawn by two sea-horses; see other drawings of the subject by Farinati at RCIN 905009, 904992-3. Inscribed in the hand of William Gibson at lower right, 'P. Farinato. 5.2.' (= 12s 6d).&nb
Charles II's collection of Old Master drawings

Charles amassed a collection of Renaissance drawings, including albums by Hans Holbein and Leonardo da Vinci

set of plays bound together.
St James's Palace library

Charles' love of the sciences is shown in his first major library acquisition

A manuscript copy of the regulations and statutes of the Windsor based Order of chivalry. Presented to King Charles I when he was Prince of Wales by his mother, Anne of Denmark, on or after his investiture into the Order in 1611. It was rebound in 1639 f
Charles II's library at Whitehall

The library at Whitehall was chiefly those presented to him, or that belonged to his father

Thomas Binning was a Scottish soldier and mariner who had briefly served as a gunner aboard a Dutch ship in the 1650s. This book is a guide to gunnery, containing advice gained by Binning during his years of service. The text relies on complex e
Dedication bindings

These books are notably different to the rest of Charles' collection

A silver-gilt basin embossed with military trophies. Four panels, on the inner rim of the basin, depict the Labours of Hercules.
Public dining and display

Displays of silver and silver gilt reflected the power of the monarchy

Bound in blue velvet, embroidered with coloured silks, silver and silver-gilt wire; fore-edge painting of the Royal arms.This splendid Bible, and its companion Prayer Book (RCIN 1142253), were probably bound for Charles II's Chapel or Royal Closet at Whit
Personal items

A silver two-handled cup on a shallow foot, with scroll handles, the body flat chased with chinoiserie scenes, showing one figure holding a parasol over another, exotic birds and plants. The reverse is engraved in Latin: Ex Regio Fulcro Regis Salus. The
James II's coronation

Commentators saw omens in James's coronation once he was forced into exile

Related content
Trail
The Lost Collection

A project to re-assemble the works from Charles I lost art collection

Charles II book cover
Publication
Charles II: Art & Power

A lavish publication to accompany the Royal Collection exhibition

Charles II: Art & Power
The life of Charles II

Royal Collection curators explore Charles through objects associated with him
High heels fit for a King

High-heeled shoes were fashionable in the 17th century
Charles II and the Royal Observatory Greenwich

Charles II created the position of Astronomer Royal, and established the Observatory at Greenwich

Map & directions

The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London, SW1A 1AA
 DIRECTIONS VIA GOOGLE MAPS
By train

The nearest train stations are London Victoria (10 minute walk) or London Charing Cross (20 minute walk). 

Visit National Rail Enquiries for times and fares.

By underground

The nearest tube stations are Victoria, Green Park, St. James's Park and Hyde Park Corner (all approximately 10 minutes walk).  

For further information visit the Transport for London website.

By coach / bus

Bus numbers 11, 211, C1 and C10 stop on Buckingham Palace Road.  Victoria Coach Station is a 10-minute walk from the Palace.  

For further information visit the Transport for London website.

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Official Royal Residences

The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.