Pomimo them into Moscow there arrived figures Golbeyn Gans Jr. which was Henry VIIIth's court artist, Elizabeth's I monumental portrait. Including the mysterious Hempdensky portrait created whether for the overseas applicant for her hand, whether arisen as a compound declaration of love and devotion of one of favourites … Among 174 exhibits - Khilliard Nikolas, become a symbol of an Elizabethan era, a jewelry of the well-known pirate, the seafarer and the admiral Dreyk Francis, a silver dish with three dolphins from the well-known Dutch Van Kristiana Vianen which Karl I stored in an office as a jewelry. In other words, gloss of luxury, the weapon, the power of two dynasties - the Tudor dynasty and Styuartov - here are shown with fascinating staginess of the blockbuster.
But unlike the Hollywood movies devoted to an era of the queen Bess and "Shakespeare in love", here are ruled by a ball not illusion, and the original. And copies of the well-known royal portraits apply for its rights even. They became during lifetime "their majesties" and were duplicated from their approval. It is known, for example, that Elizabeth I few times issued the leaflets forbidding replication of originals which has not pleasant to it, and even burned unsuccessful images. Actually, one of the main plots of an exhibition - relationship of the power and art. Not, that a question "with whom you, masters of culture?" it was actual during the Renaissance era - clearly what to choose (the best, certainly) Europe and England was necessary to masters between the royal yards. It is more important that the Tudor dynasty as astute politicians fully estimated importance of art in strengthening of dynastic positions. Henry VIIIth became the first king who encouraged vassals to express faithful feelings, placing his portraits in a visible place. Having hardly seen works Golbeyn Gans Jr. at the chancellor Mor Thomas who managed to hide three years such talent near by at the king, Henry VIIIth does him by the court artist. But not only that the king gave it full-time job on the top, he also managed to take advantage of publishing, on a substantial scale duplicating in inexpensive engravings the portraits. In Elizabethan times to monumental cloths and engravings portrait miniatures which the queen used as personal gifts were added. And Karl I was developed really, having invited to work to England Rubens and Van Kristiana Deyka and having ordered Bernini's marble bust. Its equestrian statue which till this day is on the Trafalgar square, became the monarch first by a horse monument to England. So to speak, an unostentatious parallel with monuments of the Roman emperors. However, it is necessary to recognize that this graceful handsome, the timid stutterer, the passionate collector who has collected an excellent collection, died on an executioner's block with the stoical dignity of the ancient Roman.
Not less important plot of an exhibition - daily occurrence and festivals of that era in which plots, imprisonments in the Tower and departure not pleased to their majesties on an executioner's block were combined from time to time with courtois knightly tournaments and theatrical representations. However, the side between these worlds was thin. So, Rizli Henry, the friend of the favourite of the queen Devero Robert when that decided to start plot against Elizabeth, finished the other friend, Shakespeare, to play "Richard's II" tragedy in "Globe", having given, so to speak, to Londoners an example for imitation. The favourite paid with the head, and his friend Rizli Henry rang out for three years in the Tower where sat, judging by one of portraits, with a favourite cat. Jacob I got out it from there already, and Shakespeare on this occasion wrote the 107th sonnet.
Another the most important of arts was knightly tournament. Today a royal armor stuns yuvelirno with a delicate work. In Royal workshops in Greenwich there was even a position "a pozolotchik and the engraver of royal armor" which had to transfer to them figures Golbeyn Gans. Henry VIIIth created for tournament in honor of a wedding of Henry VIIIth's with the next darling the armor, this time - Klevskaya Anna, remind a suit on order. Heinrich's armorer consulted on his tailor. The steel dress transfers features of a figure, like the waist which over the years has smoothly turned into a stomach by coverage of 132 cm. At the closed visor there is a resistant feeling that before you the cheerful king, the fan of tournaments, the luxury, replaced six wives in hope to receive the successor. On the other hand, an armor protects not only from spear blows, but also from looks of the rival, hiding weaknesses and sores. As a result, a hollow armor appears something average between a brutal dress and a statue of the Commodore.
But not because of a gilded armor this century contemporaries designated"gold". The image of "Golden Age" sent to idyllic Arkady in which the "educated" ideal sovereigns govern. The Tudor dynasty and Styuarta for this role approached as well as possible. They differed learning, taste, fine education. Mor Thomas even welcomed an ascension on Henry VIIIth's throne in the solemn ode as the beginning of the Golden Age. On a twist of fate he had to lay down life on an executioner's block on Henry VIIIth's command. The life subject in Arkady received continuation in theatrical performances at the time of Karl I. But the was more radiant than Arkady on a scene, the groteskny the final looked - the scaffold for the king was established in the yard of the same Banquet pavilion of Whitehall where played "antiquity" court ". Awful century, awful hearts"? Or a payment for life in separately existing Arkady?