Running from April to December, the exhibition will feature a never-before-displayed portrait of Queen Mary, along with more than 150 items including fashion, paintings and books.
The Edwardians: Age of Elegance will open at The King’s Gallery, Palace of Hollyroodhouse in Edinburgh on 24th April, shining a spotlight on two of Britain’s most fashionable royal couples – King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and King George V and Queen Mary.
The display, which had a successful run in London, will be open to visitors until 6th December.
Among more than 150 items on display in Scotland will be a never-before-exhibited portrait of Queen Mary and a miniature sleigh paperweight made of rock crystal, on show in Scotland for the first time. Visitors will be able to see works by celebrated names including Fabergé, Tiffany & Co, and Edward Burne-Jones.
Curator Kathryn Jones said: “The Edwardian era was a golden age of glamour and parties, but it was so much more than that; it was a fast-paced period making great advances in technology. Our royal couples wanted to make the most of it all, living lavishly and embracing new trends, before the sobering arrival of war.
“Throughout, they were collecting art as a way to hold onto tradition and capture the rapidly changing world around them. We hope that visitors to the exhibition will enjoy stepping back in time to this exciting period.”
What’s on display?
Full-length portraits of the two Queens will open the exhibition. The portraits of Queen Alexandra by François Flameng, and Queen Mary by William Samuel Henry Llewellyn will be shown alongside marble busts of their husbands, Kings Edward and George.
Other items include a paperweight shaped like a tiny 10cm-tall sledge with a figure lying on it, 21 items produced by Fabergé, including an ornate picture frame with a photograph of Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife; a cigarette case given to Edward by his official mistress Mrs Keppel; and six miniature figures of the royal couple’s favourite animals on the Sandringham estate.
Elements will focus on the Edwardians’ fondness for the arts and the importance of garden parties in the social calendar, with a painting of a garden party at Buckingham Palace by Laurits Tuxen featuring in the exhibition.
Displays will depict the interiors of the royal couples’ private residences, Marlborough House and Sandringham House, where every surface and cabinet was filled with small decorative objects or family photographs.
Group visits
Groups of 15 or more can take advantage of special rates when booking to visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse and The King’s Gallery.
They can also take advantage of private views of the exhibition when the The King’s Gallery is closed to the public in the morning and evening. The private view includes a talk by an expert guide, followed by a self-guided tour. The evening tour includes a glass of champagne.
For more information about the exhibition, visit www.rct.uk/whatson.
