Friday, October 5, 2018

Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits from Holbein to Warhol


The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
October 7, 2018–January 27, 2019

Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits from Holbein to Warhol sheds new light on changing ideas of monarchy and nationhood in Britain. The exhibition features portraits of British royalty spanning 500 years, by artists from Hans Holbein and Sir Joshua Reynolds to Annie Leibovitz and Andy Warhol.


MFAH Tudors to Windsors, Cecil Beaton, Queen Elizabeth II
Cecil Beaton, Queen Elizabeth II, 2 June 1953, semi-matte cibachrome print, National Portrait Gallery, London.     Photo Courtesy of Cecil Beaton / Victoria and Albert Museum, London
MFAH Tudors to Windsors, Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, Queen Elizabeth I
Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, Queen Elizabeth I (“The  Ditchley  Portrait”), c.1592, oil on canvas, National Portrait  Gallery, London. National Portrait Gallery, London Courtesy Photo


In a sweeping survey, Tudors to Windsors covers the cavalcade of kings, queens, princes, and princesses who have graced the British crown. The MFAH is the only U.S. venue to host this unprecedented exhibition, part of a major partnership with the National Portrait Gallery in London. Some 150 objects—most never before seen outside of England—tell the story of Britain’s monarchy through masterworks of painting, sculpture, and photography.



Hans Holbein the Younger, Portrait of Henry VIII, 1540, oil on wood, Palazzo Barberini, Rome. 

Visitors have an extraordinary opportunity to come face-to-face with the fascinating figures of British royalty. Tudors to Windsors explores four royal dynasties: the House of Tudor (1485–1603), the House of Stuart (1603–1714), the House of Hanover (1714–1901), and the present-day House of Windsor. Among the many works of art on view are portraits featuring King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, King George I, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, and Prince William.