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The Queen's Caravaggio:Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II didn't discover a lost masterpiece in a dusty attic in Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. While making for a great anecdote and a fun headline the story of the lost Caravaggio is much more intricate. The British Royal Family have long been collectors of some of the world's finest art. Raphael, Van Dyck, Canaletto, Titian and Michelangelo are all represented in the Queen's majestic art collection.
The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew had built up centuries of dirt and was not recognized as a Caravaggio. It had been left in a small room at Hampton Court Palace, which is in Surrey. Charles I purchased the work during his reign. After his execution many of his possessions including artwork and the Crown Jewels were sold.
In 1660 on the day after the Act restoring the monarchy was proclaimed Charles II organized a committee whose purpose was to recover the artwork sold thanks to Oliver Cromwell. For many years The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew was believed to be a copy and not the work of Caravaggio. After years of meticulous research and investigation, including X-Rays, the painting was attributed to Caravaggio and that significantly alters its value. The Queen's Caravaggio will be included in the exhibit The Art of Italy in the Royal Collection: Renaissance & Baroque opening on March 30, 2007 in the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace.
The Art of Italy in the Royal Collection: Renaissance & Baroque
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