Royal couple's passion for art revealed
An intimate family portrait from the Royal Collection depicting Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was moved yesterday as preparations began for an exhibition celebrating the royal couple's passion for art.
Franz Xaver Winterhalter's un-posed painting The Royal Family in 1846, depicting Victoria as both sovereign and mother surrounded by her children, was moved from its place in the East Gallery, Buckingham Palace. The oil on canvas picture, commissioned by Victoria, will be a key artwork in the forthcoming exhibition Victoria & Albert: Art & Love at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace.
Bringing together more than 400 items from the Royal Collection, the display aims to challenge the image of Victoria as a melancholy widow, revealing her as a passionate young woman.