Synopses & Reviews
2014 marks the three-hundredth anniversary of the succession of the House of Hanover to the British throne. In celebration of this historic milestone,
The First Georgians explores the rich artistic patronage of the early Hanoverian period. Georges I and II, along with Queen Caroline and Frederick, Prince of Wales, were all great patrons of the arts and together they amassed a broad and diverse collection of works. From sculptures, paintings, and miniatures to fascinating examples of the applied arts, including maps, crowns, books, and clocks, their collections reflect the spirit of the early Georgian era.
This catalog showcases three hundred full-color photographs of the finest works from among the collection, many of which have never before been published or made available for public display. Produced in Germany, France, and Britain during one of the most dramatic periods of change across all aspects of political, intellectual, and cultural life, the works reflect changing views of science, politics, and art throughout the early to mid-eighteenth centuryand#151;the period when modern Britain was coming into being.
Despite the depth of this collection and its cultural importance, artistic production during the early Hanoverian period has been less well-documented than during the late Hanoverian period. With this volume, Desmond Shawe-Taylor directs our attention to this relatively neglected period.
Review
and#8220;Thompson has finally, and triumphantly, given us one of the essential, basic building blocks for royal history in the 18th centuryand#8230;.Iand#8217;m utterly delighted that this long-standing gap has been filled so authoritatively.and#8221;and#8212;Lucy Worsley, BBC History Magazine (Books of the Year)
Review
and#8220;[A] fine biography . . . Mr. Thompson makes a strong case for his subject's importance.and#8221;and#8212;Martin Rubin, Wall Street Journal
Review
and#8220;This is an impeccably sourced, cross-referred and well indexed book, drawing on new archival material in both Britain and Germany. It is, thank goodness, unashamedly chronological and written in an engaging narrative style.and#8221;and#8212;Richard Ormrod, The Tablet
Review
and#8220;[A] stunning biography of the and#8216;forgottenand#8217; king that not only takes us deep into the psyche of the man, but also gives a detailed picture of 18th century Hanoverian England. . . . This is a studious but very readable account, and one that may well set the royal record straight.and#8221;and#8212;Cambridgeshire Journal
Review
'If George III is well known as 'the man who lost America', it was won in the reign of George II. It is very much to be welcomed that Andrew Thompson - one of the most promising of the younger British historians working in this vibrant field - has written the biography of this relatively unknown King. By looking at the political, marital, religious, musical and strategic interests of his subject - and drawing heavily on rich material in the German archives - the author gives us a scintillating picture of a story which spans not only the Atlantic Ocean but, more importantly, the North Sea separating George's British Kingdom from his Hanoverian homeland.' - Brendan Simms, University of Cambridge
Review
'A groundbreaking study of a neglected monarch. Using newly-discovered archival material, Andrew C. Thompson offers a fundamental reappraisal of George II both as British King and Hanoverian Elector, revealing his central political role fully for the first time.' - Hamish Scott, University of Glasgow
Review
'Andrew Thompson is a first-rate archival hist Hamish Scott
Review
'This magnificent biography will mark a watershed in our knowledge and understanding of Hanoverian England.' - Tim Blanning Stephen Taylor
Review
"The author's detailed study and clear mastery of German sources… shed[s] light on the political nature of Germany in the eighteenth century."—A.T. Contemporary Review Tim Blanning Bob Harris - Times Literary Supplement
Review
andldquo;An outstanding resource for scholars teaching the eighteenth century and researching social, cultural, economic, and artistic change. It is beautifully illustratedandmdash;opening with genealogical tables and maps of Europe and Hanoverandmdash;and both literally and academically weighty. The volume will have a wide impact as it takes readers from the andlsquo;first Georgesandrsquo; and their palaces down to the guns wielded and trade cards exchanged by their subjects.andrdquo;
Synopsis
Despite a long and eventful reign, Britain's George II is a largely forgotten monarch, his achievements overlooked and his abilities misunderstood. This landmark biography uncovers extensive new evidence in British and German archives, making possible the most complete and accurate assessment of this thirty-three-year reign. Andrew C. Thompson paints a richly detailed portrait of the many-faceted monarch in his public as well as his private life.
Born in Hanover in 1683, George Augustus first came to London in 1714 as the new Prince of Wales. He assumed the throne in 1727, held it until his death in 1760, and has the distinction of being Britain's last foreign-born king and the last king to lead an army in battle. With George's story at its heart, the book reconstructs his thoughts and actions through a careful reading of the letters and papers of those around him. Thompson explores the previously underappreciated roles George played in the political processes of Britain, especially in foreign policy, andalso charts the intricacies of the king's complicated relationships and reassesses the lasting impact of his frequent return trips to Hanover. George II emerges from these pages as an independent and cosmopolitan figure of undeniable historical fascination."
Synopsis
This comprehensive catalogue considers the artistic patronage of the first Hanoverian monarchs, as well as the works acquired by Queen Caroline and Frederick, Prince of Wales, many of which have never been seen publically or catalogued fully before. It includes works produced in Britain, France and Germany during their reigns and explores all aspects of life, science, politics and art during this 'revolutionary' period.
About the Author
Desmond Shawe-Taylorand#160;is Surveyor of The Queenandrsquo;s Pictures, Royal Collection Trust.Kate Heard is curator of prints and drawings in the Royal Collection Trust and deputy editor of the Journal of the History of Collections.Kathryn Jones is Curator of Decorative Arts, Royal Collection Trust, and the author of For the Royal Table: Dining at the Palace.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Genealogical Tables
Maps
1. Ruling a Free Nation
Desmond Shawe-Taylor
2. Houses, Palaces and Gardens: The First Georgians and Architecture
Wolf Burchard
3. A and#8216;Wondrous Gameand#8217;: The Early Georgians at War
Kate Heard
4. and#8216;Prints should be prized as Authors should be readand#8217;: Hogarth and Graphic Art
Kate Heard
5. Furniture and Interiors in the Royal Palaces 1714-1760
Rufus Bird
6. The and#8216;Battle of the Picturesand#8217;
Desmond Shawe-Taylor
7. and#8216;An Amiable Philosopher on the Throneand#8217;: Queen Caroline and the Encouragement of Learning
Kathryn Jones and Desmond Shawe-Taylor
8. and#8216;Curious Limningsand#8217;: Portrait Miniatures in the Early Georgian Period
Vanessa Remington
9. and#8216;An Honour to our Nationand#8217;: The Rise of a British School
Desmond Shawe-Taylor
10. The and#8216;Irresistible Tide of Luxuryand#8217;
Kathryn Jones
11. Dining at Court
Kathryn Jones
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements
Photographic Credits
Colophon