The Tudors and their tumultuous reigns have captured our imaginations for centuries—see The Tudors, Wolf Hall, Elizabeth, The Other Boleyn Girl and the William Shakespeare plays—and now, an exhibit focusing on art created during their dynasty will be on display here in NYC.
“The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England,” opening October 10 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, will showcase more than 100 objects—including iconic portraits, spectacular tapestries, manuscripts, sculpture, and armor—from both the museum collection and international lenders, the Met says.
The works on view will be surely incredible. Grouped by five sections that mimic the long galleries and intimate alcoves found in Tudor palace architecture, the collection will consist of art made under all five Tudor monarchs (Henry VII, 1485–1509), Henry VIII (1509–47), Edward VI (1547–53), Mary I (1553–58), and Elizabeth I (1558–1603). And if you think it’ll all be in a similar style, you’d be wrong. According to The Met, the Tudor courts held the work of Florentine sculptors, German painters, Flemish weavers, and Europe’s best armorers, goldsmiths, and printers (while also contributing to the emergence of a distinctly English style).
“This magnificent exhibition brings the stunning majesty and compelling drama of the Tudor dynasty to life,” said Max Hollein, Marina Kellen French Director of The Met. “By examining the wider political and societal context in which these sumptuous goods and extraordinary portraits were made, we can appreciate both their exquisite beauty as works of art and the complex and often turbulent stories they tell.”
Keep an eye out for our first look at this exhibit in October! It’s sure to be one of the most exciting exhibits of the fall.