These seminars will explore the patronage of royal and courtly women in the long 17th century in the British Isles, specifically in relation to the genre of mural painting. We will examine the reasons why the agency of women as patrons of the arts has consistently been underestimated and the recent efforts, both in academia and popular culture, to restore balance in this area.
The first seminar will address the early 17th century and the queen consort Henrietta Maria’s patronage of murals in royal palaces. The mural programme for the Queen’s House in Greenwich, in particular because of its protracted schedule and subsequent destruction, has been undervalued in terms of its influence. The impact of the civil wars and Interregnum on the genre more broadly will be explored. The second seminar will look at the Restoration and the image of Charles II’s consort, Catherine of Braganza, at Windsor Castle and its impact on the mural cycles of those closely connected to the Queen and subsequently to the court of William III. This will include case studies of Powis Castle and famous historic houses such as Chatsworth and Burghley.
The final seminar will examine the boom in mural painting in the early 1700s and the courtly clique around Queen Anne (explored in the recent film ‘The Favourite’), in particular the communication of virtue via mural cycles initiated by Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, at Marlborough House and Blenheim Palace, and Elizabeth, Duchess of Somerset, at Petworth House in west Sussex. Current issues surrounding the interpretation of murals, in historic houses, museum and galleries and online, will be discussed.