Life Correspondence & Collections of Thomas Howard Earl of Arundel, Father of Vertu in England

At the dawn of seventeenth century England, one aristocrat turned collecting into a new form of power. Art, power, and ambition collide. In this detailed historical biography book, Mary F. S. Hervey traces the life of Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, the legendary father of vertu in England. Moving from court intrigue in Stuart England to journeys across Europe in search of paintings, marbles, and manuscripts, she follows how one man's taste helped shape early English art collecting and laid the foundations for the history of art collections in Britain. Drawing on correspondence, inventories, and testimony, Hervey offers both an art history biography and a vivid study of personality. The life narrative is interwoven with a collected letters edition, allowing readers to hear Arundel and his circle in their own voices as they bargain for antiquities, advise artists, and navigate shifting political loyalties. The result is a key reference for art historians, a nuanced resource for collectors interested in early modern art collectors, and a compelling window onto the culture and politics of Stuart England history. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike. A classic study of Thomas Howard Earl of Arundel and of early English art collecting, it rewards casual lovers of Stuart England history as much as specialists in the history of art collections and early modern art collectors.