Charles II. Art and power

Exhibition December 8, 2017 − May 13, 2018
After more than a decade of strict rule of Cromwell in England, the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 led to the revival of art. The court of Charles II became the center of patronage for the leading artists and collecting great works of art. They were not only the decoration of the Royal apartments, but also a means of glorification of the restored monarchy and strengthen the position of Charles II as the legitimate ruler.

Monumental portrait of Charles II in coronation robes, executed by John Michael Wright, a glittering gilded silver plate that adorned the altar of Westminster Abbey during the coronation, paintings of Michiel van Mierevelt, Maarten van Heemskerck and Pieter Bruegel the Elder, tapestries and sumptuous furnishings – all this is evidence the material wealth of the entourage of Charles II and the role of art in the restoration of the Stuart monarchy.