The north front of Hamilton Palace

Hamilton Palace: Scotland’s Greatest Treasure House Recreated

Scottish Society for Art History: This online talk by Dr Godfrey Evans (recently retired as Principal Curator of European Decorative Arts at National Museums Scotland) explores the history of Hamilton Palace, Scotland’s grandest private residence and most important treasure house, demolished in the 1920s. In particular, Godfrey will look at the 10th Duke of Hamilton, who filled the building with thousands of paintings, pieces of furniture, other works of art, manuscripts and books. He concentrated on collecting very large items, objects made of precious materials, and works associated with famous individuals, such as the Emperor Charlemagne, Empress Catherine the Great, Emperor Napoleon and Queen Marie-Antoinette. All of this and more will be discussed in this well-illustrated talk.