Romantics & Revolutionaries: Regency Portraits from the National Portrait Galler

by David Crane

This book brings a cast of Regency characters to life through a combination of words and pictures. An original and thought-provoking essay from Richard Holmes and biographical sketches written by David Crane, Robert Woof and Stephen Hebron illustrate the diversity and exuberance of Regency England - its dreams and dramas, triumphs and tragedies, successes and excesses. It was a period of seismic political change, of revolutionary scientific discovery, of dazzling artistic achievement, of military milestones and of social scandal. From Catholic Emancipation to the shocking trial of Queen Caroline, from the Battle of Waterloo to Don Juan, from the Abolition of the Slave Trade to vaccination, this book offers a fascinating portrait of a remarkable period in British history.

Unknown Binding

First published December 14, 2006

About the author

David Crane read history and English at Oxford University before becoming a lecturer at universities in the Netherlands, Japan, and Africa.

He is the acclaimed biographer of Scott of the Antarctic and of Edward Trelawny, companion of Byron and Shelley. He also wrote The Kindness Of Sisters, an account of the relationship between Byron's widow and his sister-in-law, who bore his child. His book, Empires Of The Dead, about Fabian Ware and the building of the First World War cemeteries, was shortlisted for the 2013 Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction.

He lives in northwest Scotland.

There is more than one author by the name David Crane on Goodreads
David Crane: Video Game Designer
David Crane: Screenplays

Reviews

[R E · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful, breezy visual and written summary of the Regency that has evident racial, ableist, and heterosexist biases.

This 2002 book of portraits in the National Gallery/London is a handy summary of Regency era movers, shakers, and creators. It contains 67 full color reproductions, most of which are full page, along with 3-4 paragraphs on the life, importance, and ideas attached to the person shown each portrait. So, it can also be read as a summary of some of the major socio-political, philosophical, aesthetic, religious, and scientific issues of the day, albeit from a "50,000 foot view." BUT...

While informative, the written summaries can at times come across as a bit too "posher than thou," having a hint of sniffing arrogance about them as the authors talk down to the general public. Add to this the heterosexist and ableist bias (Byron, bisexual? And disabled? Never, we can't condone mentioning those things) and it's Caucasian-centrism (thank heavens those White Christians came to the aid of African slaves), and the book has all the qualities showing "the dangers of a single story" (see Chimamanda Adichie/TEDtalk).

The quality of the reproductions in the paperback version, which I bought, were fair, at best. I'm keeping the book for general reference, but I wouldn't pay full price for a new one.