Stuart Dynastic Power at the Scottish National and Portrait Galleries, Edin

The journey, in full

National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh Location: Scottish National Gallery In the first part of the journey, discover the technical, social, and political history of Renaissance art in Scotland and Europe. Tracing the development of “the individual” through the gallery’s late medieval painting collections, the tour moves into the Renaissance through collections of Scottish, Spanish, and French court portraiture. Learn how and why these strategic images were produced. Explore the international cultures and practices of artists, the influence exerted by patrons, and the symbolic languages expressed through clothing, posture, heraldry, and other visual elements. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh Location: Scottish National Portrait Gallery Focusing on Scottish royal and aristocratic portraiture from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, visitors come face to face with some of the most powerful figures of the period. The tour examines the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots and her son James VI and I, whose court artists created many of the most influential images of royal authority. Discover the costumes, accessories, furnishings, and poses used by the Stuart monarchy and their courtiers, and learn how these portraits communicated political messages to contemporary audiences.