Lecture Access

This lecture will be available to view until 7 September 2026

  • 00 Days
  • 00 Hours
  • 00 Minutes
  • 00 Seconds

OVERVIEW

Watch on Demand | Online Lecture


When Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland ascended to the throne in 1625, he began building one of history’s most notable art collections. 

He acquired masterpieces by renowned artists like Titian, Mantegna, Holbein, and Dürer, and commissioned contemporary artists such as Van Dyck and Rubens. By 1639, during his first major inventory, the collection had transformed dramatically. In just two years, from 1636 to 1638, he added over 500 paintings. Peter Paul Rubens, who visited the English court several times, described the king as: “The greatest amateur of paintings among the princes of the world.” After Charles’s execution in 1649, his collection was sold and dispersed across Europe. Although Charles II recovered many works during the Restoration, the loss after his execution heightened the collection’s importance, shaping future perceptions of Charles as a king and collector.

In this lecture, Anne Harbers discusses how art and power intersected during a crucial period in Britain's history, leaving a legacy that continues to influence royal collecting today.

LECTURER

Biography

Anne Harbers is an experienced presenter and writer on Art History and Decorative Arts. After taking degrees in Chemistry and enjoying a career in medical research and international business, Anne followed her heart and obtained an MA degree from the University of Sydney. A long-time enthusiast for 18th century European decorative arts and English literature, she is currently undertaking art history research projects relating to British and European subjects.

Anne Harbers

Art Historian