Despite many previous London visits, it took us until 2016 to finally see the palaces and gardens at Hampton Court. We were impressed (https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2016/08/hampton-court.html, and https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2016/09/hampton-courts-gardens.html), and vowed to return. It's still a long ride up the river, or Tube, but well worth it: Hampton Court is a three-fer, three dynasties, three palaces, three gardens. Tons of history and art.
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| Already well inside the expanse, the entrance to the Tudor palace |
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| We went first to a special exhibit on the 1518 Treaty of Universal Peace, negotiated by Cardinal Wolsey (above), between England and France, and eventually signed by 20 other nations; Wolsey built Hampton Court and was the king's Lord Chancellor and number one guy; until Henry (VIII) unfriended him and took the palace for his own; despite other triumphs, Wolsey had failed to secure the annulment of Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon; it's complicated |
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Nearly contemporaneous painting of the locale in France where the peace conference took place; including the "cloth of gold" tents where Henry VIII and Francois Premier tried to out-do each other |
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| Tudor chimneys at Hampton Court; Vicki theorizes that Gaudi drew his inspiration from these |
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| Holbein pose |
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| A favorite courtyard scene |
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Moving right along: the place has tons of art...here, the landing of William and Mary, Bloodless Revolution |
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| Above the staircase in a William and Mary bit |
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| Knife and gun show: a vast hall, the upper walls of which are covered in muskets, pistols, lances, swords, etc. |
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| Kneller portrait of George I |
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| George II (George III was busy seeing his psychiatrist: he had issues about losing colonies) |
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| Apotheosis of Queen Anne (or possibly some other Queen) |
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| Netherlandish influence during William and Mary |
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| Actual factual origin of the Princess and the Pea story; these are Queen Charlotte's mattresses, in conservation (or some other Queen) |
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| Art everywhere...and I am to be credited with recognizing this as a Joos van Cleve; confirmed by the attendant staff |
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| Also gardens everywhere; the flowers mostly past their prime but still of great beauty |
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| River Thames, the traditional entrance to Hampton Court |
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| Formal and privy gardens |
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| Among the gates at the river entrance |
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| River arrival view...it's not much but it is home... |
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| Later in our visit, other side of the expanse, other gardens, looking back to the Tudor bits |
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| Henry's Great Hall |
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| Hammerbeam ceiling; the only great hall surviving from Henry |
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| Among the several Abraham tapestries, 1540s; two copies... one went to the French king, the other to Charles V...perhaps the greatest age of kings... |
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| At the time of Charles I's execution, they were reckoned the most valuable artistic properties of the Realm; completely, unmentioned in the standard tour; Vicki registered a complaint |
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| "Nevermind," quoth the angel |
