Masterpieces from the Royal Collection: Paintings in the Palaces of Queen Elizabeth II

Very comprehensive book about the Royal picture collection.Very good images in perfect quality reproduced.

This is not a lightweight book. The reproductions are excellent, the selection is interesting. Some, eg the Vermeer, expected others for me some of the Vand-Dycks, not. I can't comment on the content of the essays, I don't know enough of art history to say. What did surprise me, on a personal basis, was the extent to which such appreciation of Art as I have, derives from visits as a child to Hampton Court/Windsor (we lived in a house between the two) I recognise many of the pictures from those visits. "Joseph and Potiphars Wife" was forever on display being restored I remember. "The Triumph of Caeser" always talked about, never seen, because that too was always being restored. "The Massacre of the Innocents" was explained to me by my parents. We didn't do the National Gallery etc, but Hampton Court was just up the road and, compared to now, inexpensive to go into, not cluttered with visual aids to the visitor experience. The pictures weren't labelled you had either to just know or decipher then names from the picture frame. Personal memories aside I think this is a splendid book, well produced and well worth the money.

This luxurious volume reproduces in beautiful color 241 paintings, miniatures, and works on paper from the Royal collection. Each work is depicted in a full-page reproduction, and there are many full-page details. Do not confuse this volume with an earlier one of the same name, to which this one bears no resemblance. While not every important work is included (I miss the Schalkens and the Riccis in particular) this is a stunning compilation of the best in the collection. Very highly recommended.

Un ouvrage splendide qui fait découvrir des œuvres que le grand public ne connaît pas