THE ROYAL FAMILY, AN UNPOSED PAINTING BY FRANZ XAVER WINTERHALTER FROM 1846 WHICH DEPICTS VICTORIA AS BOTH QUEEN AND MOTHER WITH HER CHILDREN GATHERED AROUND HER, HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM ITS BERTH IN BUCKINGHAM PALACE'S EAST GALLERY. THE OIL ON CANVAS WORK, COMMISSIONED BY VICTORIA, IS ONE OF THE PRIME EXHIBITS IN THE FORTHCOMING EXHIBITION VICTORIA & ALBERT: ART & LOVE AT THE QUEEN'S GALLERY, BUCKINGHAM PALACE. THE EXHIBITION, INCLUDING MORE THAN 400 ITEMS FROM THE ROYAL COLLECTION, AIMS TO CHALLENGE THE IMAGE OF VICTORIA AS A MELANCHOLY WIDOW, REVEALING HER AS A PASSIONATE YOUNG WOMAN. THE EXHIBITION WILL CELEBRATE 'ONE OF HISTORY'S GREAT LOVE STORIES' AND REFLECT THE ROYAL COUPLE'S MUTUAL DELIGHT IN COLLECTING AND SHOWING OFF ARTWORKS. AROUND A THIRD OF THE OBJECTS IN THE EXHIBITION WERE EXCHANGED AS GIFTS BETWEEN THE PAIR. THEY WERE REGULAR VISITORS TO THE ANNUL ROYAL ACADEMY EXHIBITION AND FREQUENTLY MADE PURCHASES. VICTORIA AND ALBERT WERE ALSO IMPORTANT PATRONS AND COLLECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND LENT THEIR SUPPORT TO THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1853. THEY COMMISSIONED HUNDREDS OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND HOUSEHOLD, AS WELL AS CAPTURING PLACES THEY HAD VISITED TOGETHER. WINTERHALTER'S PAINTING WAS INTENDED TO HANG AT THE FAMILY RETREAT OF OSBORNE HOUSE ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT. IT WAS EXHIBITED IN 1847 AT ST JAMES'S PALACE, WHERE IT WAS SEEN BY 100,000 PEOPLE. HOWEVER, THE PICTURE WAS NOT WELL RECEIVED BY SOME OF THE PRESS, WHO CRITICIZED ITS 'SENSUOUS AND FLESHY' CHARACTER. VICTORIA & ALBERT: ART & LOVE OPENS ON 19.MARCH AND RUNS UNTIL 31.OCTOBER AT THE QUEEN'S GALLERY, BUCKINGHAM PALACE. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.royalcollection.org.uk.
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