Royal riches

The treasures of the Royal Collection are usually dispersed among the various royal palaces and residences throughout Britain. For the first time in more than 40 years, the earlier Italian paintings and drawings have been brought together in a substantial exhibition which is rich in visual and historical delights. In what is really a tribute to the artistic taste and collecting enthusiasm particularly of the first Stuart kings, Charles I and Charles II, this exhibition maps the development of the Royal Collection as seen through the acquisition of a remarkable succession of Italian masterpieces. Although Charles I’s unparalleled collection was broken up and sold during the Commonwealth, Charles II devoted considerable time and energy to reclaiming items from it, while adding further paintings. He was also a keen collector of drawings, the first British monarch to show interest in what had previously been seen as little more than the litter of the studio. This immensely enjoyable show is divided between almost equal amounts of drawings and paintings, and therefore offers a range of insights into the working methods and finished achievements of a number of the finest Italian Renaissance and Baroque artists.

One of the first paintings you encounter on entering the upstairs rooms of the Queen’s Gallery is Bronzino’s haunting ‘Portrait of a Lady in Green’ (c.1528â“32), familiar from having been used as the publicity image for the show. (Coincidentally, the unknown sitter bears a striking resemblance to the lady purveyor of ostrich meat in Borough Market â” perhaps she has Italian blood? I love the way history permeates the present in this way.) Previously attributed to Raphael and a host of other artists including Sebastiano del Piombo, this painting has the studied calm and sweetness of Raphael but an unexpected edge, a challenging directness that suggests another artist. Its latest attribution to Bronzino seems most convincing.