Woburn Treasures

Lovely exhibition at the Queen’s House of pictures and artefacts from Woburn Abbey on loan while the Abbey is being refurbished.

The stunning loans are scattered around the Queen’s House’s own collection so you do have to play spot the exhibit at bit but they are all marked with a label with the Abbey’s symbol on it and there is a handy guide to  tell you what is in each room.

Highlight’s must be a Rembrandt and a possible self portrait of Frans Hals. I missed a Claude and had to go back and find it along with a Gainsborough landscape.

The stars were the portraits and the stories that went with them. In the first room you are introduced to the son of the 4th Earl of Bedford via is portrait by Reynolds, who did the Grand Tour but died just two years later before he had unpacked all of his purchases. These were found 40 years later, still in their crates, by his son. I also loved a portrait of the same man’s wife by Reynolds in the outfit she wore as a bridesmaid to Queen Charlotte. She is a wonderful vibrant figure in a room of rather stuffy looking captains and admirals.

My favourite though is shown here. It is Lucy Harrington, Countess of Bedford and friend of Anne of Denmark, by Jon de Critz, in her masque costume designed by Inigo Jones who was also the architect of the Queen’s House.

Closes Easter 2021

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