Enlightened Princesses

Caroline, Augusta, Charlotte, and the Shaping of the Modern World

Author: Joanna Marschner, David Bindman, Lisa L. Ford, A. Cassandra Albinson, Robyn Asleson, Donald Burrows, Wolf Burchard, Florence Grant, Tyler Griffith and Mark Hallett

"This publication accompanies the exhibition Enlightened princesses: Caroline, Augusta, Charlotte, and the shaping of the modern world, co-organized by the Yale Center for British Art and Historic Royal Palaces, on view at the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, from 2 February to 30 April 2017, and at Kensington Palace, London, from 22 June to 12 November 2017"--Colophon.

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Summary

Description

Caroline of Ansbach (1683–1737), Augusta of Saxe-Gotha (1719–1772), and Charlotte of Mecklenberg-Strelitz (1744–1818) were three German princesses who became Queens Consort—or, in the case of Augusta, Queen in Waiting, Regent, and Princess Dowager—of Great Britain, and were linked by their early years at European princely courts, their curiosity, aspirations, and an investment in Enlightenment thought. This sumptuously illustrated book considers the ways these powerful, intelligent women left enduring marks on British culture through a wide range of activities: the promotion of the court as a dynamic forum of the Hanoverian regime; the enrichment of the royal collection of art; the advancement of science and industry; and the creation of gardens and menageries. Objects included range from spectacular state portraits to pedagogical toys to plant and animal specimens, and reveal how the new and novel intermingled with the traditional.

Published in association with the Yale Center for British Art and Historic Royal Palaces

Exhibition Schedule:

Yale Center for British Art
(02/02/17–04/30/17)

Kensington Palace
(06/22/17–11/12/17)

Critic Reviews

“"This major publication, close to 600 pages and over 500 illustrations, is the outcome of a wide-ranging research project... The roll call is a guarantee of expertise and new insights; many are veterans of the challenges to the male-dominated enlightenment narrative."--Charlotte Gere, Apollo Magazine”

“Erudite but accessible and ambitious in scope, it is visually stunning and consistently engaging.”—Matthew Dennison, World of Interiors -- Matthew Dennison World of Interiors

About the Author

Joanna Marschner is senior curator at Historic Royal Palaces, Kensington Palace. David Bindman is professor emeritus of art history at University College London. Lisa L. Ford is assistant director of research at the Yale Center for British Art.