Buckingham Palace Picture Gallery reopens with dramatic new look and 57 more paintings
The Buckingham Palace Picture Gallery has undergone a dramatic transformation; The display of masterpieces has nearly doubled to 120 works before its summer opening.
In this “once-in-a-generation re-release,” the stateroom’s 1976 coral pink velvet wall coverings have been replaced by vibrant new emerald green silk damask.
The extensive renovation, which involved 875 hours of meticulous rehanging, now includes paintings by famous artists such as Rubens, Caravaggio and Zoffany.
The collection increased from 63 pieces to 120 pieces.
Notable additions include Zoffany’s. Tribuna of the UffiziA work commissioned by Queen Charlotte but never displayed in her apartments due to her disapproval of its “crowded and unusual composition”. He last decorated the Picture Gallery in 1841.
Other highlights include those of George Stubbs. A Rough DogIt is thought to depict George IV’s large pet, Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of Johann Christian Fisch, five Rembrandt paintings, and paintings by Rubens. self portraitnow he faces a newly added portrait of his friend and fellow artist Anthony Van Dyck.
Anna Reynolds, researcher of the King’s paintings, said: “This rehanging is an exciting and rare opportunity to significantly increase the number of world-class paintings on display for visitors, in line with our charitable aim of sharing as much as possible from the Royal Collection.
“It continues the long-standing tradition of renovations and relocations at the Picture Gallery, which often take place following a change of reign, and we are delighted to be able to share this with as many people as possible this summer.”
The 47-meter-long gallery, added to the palace by architect John Nash in the 19th century, has changed color many times throughout history due to changing tastes and the natural aging of the fabric.
The room featured the colors gold, mauve, which was fashionable in the Victorian era, scarlet red, and then olive green, which remained the same throughout much of the 20th century.
It was changed to pink 50 years ago and has now been changed to emerald green due to material degradation.
The room is used by the royal family to entertain guests; When presidents (including Donald Trump in 2019) and monarchs hold state visits at the palace, they are taken on a tour to see a special exhibition of Royal Collection items in the gallery.
The gallery is also seen by more than half a million visitors each year.
The transformation was announced two weeks after it was announced that the King and Queen would never live at Buckingham Palace.
Charles and Camilla will instead stay at nearby Clarence House, keeping it as their London home despite the palace’s £369 million renovation.
The Duke of Sussex will also not be staying at the palace during his ongoing trip to England.
The king’s youngest son missed the opportunity to seek refuge in the royal residence when he returned to London; He first rejected his family’s offer to stay, then accepted arrangements for a one-night sleepover at the 775-room palace, too late for him.
Buckingham Palace also believes the timing may have jeopardized the King’s constitutional position, following the ruling in Harry’s lawsuit against Associated Newspapers on Tuesday.
Buckingham Palace’s summer opening will run from July 9 to September 27 this year.
A Rolls-Royce Phantom IV used by the royal family will be displayed in the Grand Entrance Portico, and the Family Pavilion in West Terrance will display handwritten letters sent to the King by children from around the world, highlighting their shared interests with the monarch, such as the environment and sustainability.
This year there is also a large oil painting of the King by Jonathan Yeo in preparation for Charles’ first official portrait after his coronation, commissioned by The Drapers’ Company in 2023.
The red-coloured depiction of the King was recently gifted to the Royal Collection by Yeo and hangs in the Silk Tapestry Room adjacent to the Picture Gallery.
Tickets for the summer opening are available at www.rct.uk and +44 (0)303 123 7300.
