The Stuart Image: English Portraiture 1603 to 1649

The Stuart Image: English Portraiture 1603 to 1649

Early Stuart visual culture (1603–1649)

Overview

This volume examines how English portrait painting evolved under the first Stuart monarchs, mapping shifts in style, patronage and political messaging from James I to the eve of the Civil War. It connects court artists such as Van Dyck with broader trends in domestic portraiture, print circulation and collecting practices. The analysis draws on surviving canvases, workshop records and contemporary commentary to trace the emergence of a distinctly British visual identity.

Who it's for

• Scholars of early-modern British art and visual culture
• Museum curators preparing Stuart-era exhibitions
• Graduate students researching court patronage

Key features

• Covers the period 1603–1649 in chronological chapters
• Focuses on English examples within a European context
• Includes bibliography and index for further study