The Great British Art Tour: a portrait of Britain s first black queen?
With public art collections closed we are bringing the art to you, exploring highlights and hidden gems from across the country in partnership with Art UK. Today’s pick: St John’s College, Oxford’s Queen Charlotte Sophia
A detail of Queen Charlotte Sophia by Allan Ramsay, painted c1784. Photograph: St John s College, Oxford
A detail of Queen Charlotte Sophia by Allan Ramsay, painted c1784. Photograph: St John s College, Oxford
GeorgyKantor,keeperofcollegepictures,StJohn’sCollege,Oxford
Mon 25 Jan 2021 01.00 EST
Last modified on Thu 28 Jan 2021 09.32 EST
The art collections of Oxbridge colleges are strange creations, growing slowly over centuries, to no consistent plan. Often, the more interesting pieces end up in our possession by an accident of history. Allan Ramsay’s portrait of Queen Charlotte Sophia, painted soon after her marriage to George III in 1761, is a case in point. Along with Ramsa