Artist who lost America.

THE ARCHITECT KING: GEORGE III AND THE CULTURE OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT

By David Watkin. London: Royal Collection Enterprises. 2004, [pounds sterling]30

George III's accession to the throne in 1760 prompted much national rejoicing. Young, intelligent and attractive, he had been born in England (unlike his two predecessors), was educated, and genuinely curious about the arts and sciences, not least architecture, for his teacher had been William Chambers (1723-96), no less, and the new king was an accomplished architectural draughtsman. Later, he was to collaborate with the leading architects of his day, and initiated several major projects that led to the formation of the King's Library (the basis of the British Library today) and the Royal Academy. It was in his reign too that the novel idea of uniting various government departments in one building was realized with the building (completed 1796) of Chambers' noble Somerset House.

One of the problems with Anglocentric historians is that they fail to acknowledge (or else play down) the close connection between Britain and Germany before 1837: George III was not only King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, but Elector of Hanover, and therefore a major figure in the Holy Roman Empire. When he married (1761) Princess Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818), that connection became closer, for she had family connections with several European courts. Watkins correctly observes all this, and shows how the royal couple influenced garden-design and taste in England and in Germany. He demonstrates that the king-elector, with his interest in manufacturing, discoveries, and agriculture, was a key figure in the Age of Improvement, a significant patron of both the sciences and the arts.

This beautifully-illustrated, intelligently-argued, and handsome book is a delight, opening many fruitful avenues for future investigation. Footnotes are where they are accessible, at the bottom of the pages, and the general quality of presentation is excellent. This is a fine and illuminating production.