Charles I: King and Collector

Presented in partnership with Royal Collection Trust, this landmark exhibition reunites one of the most extraordinary and influential art collections ever assembled for the first time since the 17th century.

During his reign, Charles I of England (1600-1649) acquired and commissioned exceptional masterpieces by artists such as Van Dyck, Rubens, Holbein, Titian and Mantegna. Following his execution in 1649, the collection, unrivalled in the history of English taste, was offered for sale and dispersed across Europe.

Charles I: King and Collector reunites 140 of the most important works, with over 90 generously lent by Her Majesty The Queen from the Royal Collection. Major lenders also include The National Gallery, London, the Musée du Louvre, Paris, the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, and numerous other public and private collections, providing an unprecedented opportunity to experience the collection that changed the appreciation of art in England.