After all the baroque bombast of our Sicilian holiday, I'll admit … I was happy to be home. Happy for a place where people observe rules when approaching a roundabout, and where my eyes could be soothed by the regular lines and cool colours of Georgian architecture.Thus it seemed logical to top up my cultural tank (it had been 10 days since I'd seen anything significant, after all) with a bit of sane, measured English culture, by way of Germany, in the Age of Reason. The First Georgians: Art & Monarchy 1714-1760 is running at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, until 12 October. This is a spectacular show for anyone who likes Georgian art or history, and especially for those who want to understand how history shapes the world we live in today. Because, as this show ably demonstrates, the foundations for so much of modern life ... from copyright law to greed-driven investment boom and bust cycles to a fascination with celebrity … all started in these thrilling years.
This is one of the biggest shows I've ever seen at this venue, filling all of the exhibition rooms. Make sure you leave at least 90 minutes, and take advantage of the audio guide that comes with your ticket.
You'll explore the fascinating personalities of the first two Georges and their families. Queen Caroline is one of my favourites, and deserves to be better known. There are fascinating maps and prints that allow you to delve into architecture, military history and urban life. Cases of luxury accessories like snuff boxes, miniatures, weapons and a jaw dropping casket encrusted with gilt figures, jewels and rock crystal (admittedly, veering back towards Sicilian bombast) that's also an early juke box playing Handel tunes.The two largest rooms mix furniture, paintings and decorative objects, into which the audio guide gives great insight. Don't miss the harpsichord. These instruments differ from pianos in that the keys are plucked by quills instead of hit by hammers. This one uses quills from the legendary ravens at The Tower, and you can listen to a snippet of a performance upon it. (There's a bit from the Handel music box as well. It's a shame, frankly, that they didn't run a glorious 18th century soundtrack throughout the whole exhibit.)
And if you work in my industry, you'll be reminded throughout of the Georgians as marketers. A new family on an unstable throne, most of what you see here is part of constant attempts to promote themselves as the right choice for Britain. Deploying culture like corporate sponsorship, images of St. George or the English lion like a corporate logo. Benevolent, constitutional monarchs who were ushering in a golden age. Looking around this show, you'll believe it.
The exhibit is co-sponsored by the BBC and there's a brilliant three-part series fronted by historian Lucy Worsley that tells the wider story, using many of the items on display here. Watch that first (it's no longer on iPlayer but you can pick up versions on YouTube) and your experience will be even better.
No comments:
Post a Comment