Charles I

Object Type

This triple portrait had an unusual function as a kind of design for sculpture. In 1636 Charles I (ruled 1625-1649) dispatched the original of this painting by Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) to the sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) in Rome. It was to assist in the making of a marble bust. The three viewpoints were chosen to enable the sculptor to create a truly three-dimensional likeness.

People

The sculpture was intended as a papal present to Queen Henrietta Maria (1609-1669). After the bust was finished, the painting remained in the possession of Bernini and passed to his descendants. It was brought back to England in 1802 and entered the Royal Collection in 1822. The bust itself was a great success with the King and Queen. It was eventually destroyed in a fire at Whitehall Palace, London, in 1698.

Ownership & Use

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This painting is one of many copies that were made of van Dyck's original. It is later in date than most of the others. It is possible that it was commissioned by a supporter of the Stuart Royal Family in the mid-18th century. It may have been used as a kind of icon by opponents of the Hanoverian dynasty.