Royal Portraiture
The Royal Collection holds royal portraits from visual works to decorative arts
George II (1683-1760)
c.1739RCIN 31322
Formal portraits commissioned by monarchs and their families can reflect contemporary artistic tastes. This bust of George II (r.1727–60), which was commissioned by his consort Queen Caroline, depicts the King in a mixture of contemporary and classical dress, identifying him as a ruler, a military leader, and as the inheritor of classical heroism. The style reflects the contemporary revival of antiquity and the sculptor John Michael Rysbrack (1693–1770) has effortlessly blended the modern with the classical to create this commanding portrait.