Portraits of the English Civil War: the face of war

Abstract

The period of the English Civil Wars was one of the most momentous in English history. These momentous events have been examined in great detail from an historical point of view, but never before has the period been discussed in detail from the point of view of portraiture. Art historians have tended to ignore the period 1642-1660 on the basis that it falls between the genius of Van Dyck, court painter to Charles I, and the genius of Sir Peter Lely, court painter to Charles II. There is an overriding sense that these years represent as much an artistic interregnum as a political one. This book examines the portraiture and history of the English Civil Wars through representations of the protagonists who were involved in the conflict. Each portrait illustrated is accompanied by a short biography of the protagonist?s life, and an extended discussion on the iconography of the painting and its art historical relevance, including aspects of patronage.