Approaching the Stuart courts through the lens of the queen consort, Anna of Denmark, this study is underpinned by three key themes: translating cultures, female agency and the role of kinship networks and genealogical identity for early modern royal women. Illustrated with a fascinating array of objects and artworks, the book follows a trajectory that begins with Anna’s exterior spaces before moving to the interior furnishings of her palaces, the material adornment of the royal body, an examination of Anna’s visual persona and a discussion of Anna’s performance of extraordinary rituals that follow her life cycle. Underpinned by a wealth of new archival research, the book provides a richer understanding of the breadth of Anna’s interests and the meanings generated by her actions, associations and possessions.
Jemma Field is Associate Director of Research at the Yale Center for British Art.
Introduction1 Contexts and networks2 Court places and spaces3 Collecting and display 4 Jewellery and apparel5 Representation and self-fashioning6 Ritual and ceremonialConclusionIndex
'[...] this work would be an excellent resource for scholars and students of queenship and the Stuart era. In sum, this excellent work further develops the cultural examinations of Anna’s life and offers yet more evidence that this queen who had long been relegated to the fringes of academic enquiry deserves greater investigation and appreciation.'European History Quarterly, Elena Woodacre