English country houses are full of portraits of family members, Kings and Queens, politicians, military figures and other well-known characters. We find these portraits in serried ranks in long galleries, placed high above the bookshelves in libraries, prominently displayed over fireplaces and in private apartments. They range from full-length paintings in oil by renowned artists to intimate pastels by amateurs; from busts displayed within the house to monuments located in the grounds.
This collection of essays by scholars including Alison Yarrington, Gill Perry, Kate Retford, Harriet...