The Treasure houses of Britain: Five hundred years of private patronage and art collecting

About this book

The country house as a collective work of art is one of Britains most important contributions to western civilization. This lavishly illustrated book not only provides a complete overview of British art collecting from the Tudor period to the present but also illuminates the historical importance evolution and role of country houses in Britain. Leading expertsincluding Marcus Binney John Cornforth Mark Girouard Francis Haskell Sir Oliver Millar and Sir Roy Strongoffer lively discussions that range from the economic background and political importance of these gigantic houses to the complex relationships that existed among owners builders architexts and craftsmen; from the British fascination with portraiture to the Grand Tour and how it expanded the horizons of the milordi. Approximately 700 major works of art selected from some 200 British country houses are depicted. These include paintings (by such masters as Holbein Poussin Titian Gainsborough Reynolds Constable El Greco Velzquez Hogarth Turner and Rembrandt) furniture tapestries armor jewelry metalwork silver and sculpture. Publication will coincide with the opening of an exhibition organized by the National Gallery of Art Washington D.C. to run from November 1985 to March 1986.