Windsor Castle Tour of Paintings I Van Dyck's portraits of Charles I and His Family

Welcome to Windsor Castle. Join us as we explore some of the paintings from the Royal Collection on display here. The Queen's Gallery is one of the largest rooms in the historic State Apartments. Before the alteration of Windsor Castle in the 19th century, this was also used as the principal ballroom. Originally, it was decorated with a vast allegorical ceiling painted by the artist Antonio Verrio. The room was altered for William IV, at which point this plaster ceiling was installed by the architect Geoffrey Wyattville. During the reign of Queen Victoria, the room was first exclusively hung with portraits by Charles I's favourite artist, Anthony Van Dyck. It soon became known as the Van Dyck Room, a title that endured well into the 20th century. Today, the picture hang continues to showcase some of Van Dyck's most iconic depictions of the Stuart monarchy. In this monumental and almost theatrical equestrian composition, Van Dyck presents us with an imposing image of the Stuart King, Charles I. The King is presented as a warrior and knight, dressed in his glimmering tournament armour with the sash of the Order of the Garter across his chest and the baton of command in his right hand. Here, Van Dyck is drawing upon the established tradition of equestrian monuments, which ever since antiquity have been deployed as a symbol of authority and power. In artistic terms, the depiction of different textures within this painting is extraordinary. The way in which Van Dyck contrasts polished metal against creased fabrics and even the flowing mane of the horse exemplifies why he was the leading portraitist of the age. Despite being 5 foot 4, Charles I towers over us in this painting. He rides this muscular horse with ease. You can see that the reins are loose and he appears to be in complete control. This is really key because in the 17th century, horsemanship was considered the epitome of kingly virtue and that is really what this portrait is trying to communicate. That explains the presence of the second figure within the painting, who stands beside the King holding his helmet. This is Pierre Antoine Bourdain, a master in the art of horsemanship who was the King's equerry and riding master. The composition is framed by a triumphal arch. At its base, we see a crowned coat of arms that unites England, Scotland and Ireland, reinforcing this presentation of Charles I as the ruler of Great Britain. This powerful composition was reproduced on many occasions. Van Dyck himself created a number of different versions. As a result, this iconic depiction of Charles I on horseback became an enduring image of the Stuart monarchy and as a result, Van Dyck revolutionised portrait painting in Britain. Van Dyck worked full-time for Charles I from his arrival in England in 1632 to his death in 1641. He was set up with a fine house and studio in Blackfriars and Charles had steps built up from the River Thames so that he could travel by boat to pay regular visits to the artist. This portrait was produced the year that Van Dyck moved to England and was known as the Great Peace because of its huge size. It originally hung at the end of the Long Gallery at Whitehall. The painting shows Charles I and Henrietta Maria with their two eldest children, Prince Charles, later Charles II and Princess Mary. In the background is a glimpse of the River Thames with Parliament House, Westminster Hall and possibly the Clock Tower visible. Van Dyck's immense skill transformed portraiture in Britain in the 17th century. Here we are presented with not only a great demonstration of royal authority but also a wonderfully naturalistic family portrait. The royal couple are shown in a grand setting yet are seated in an almost informal manner. The close bond they have with their children is tangible in the way the young prince draws near to his father's knee and the infant princess clutches her mother's hand. The Royal Collection recently made a rare acquisition of a sketch for this painting which was probably produced from life and features a number of differences to the final work. The unity of the family group is even more pronounced with the young prince centrally positioned and Henrietta Maria gazing into her husband's eyes, the infant princess asleep in her arms.