King Charles I, 1628

Charles I (1600–1649) succeeded his father James I in 1625 as king of England and Scotland. He suffered from a speech impediment and physical disabilities as a child, but his personal life flourished, with a successful marriage to Henrietta Maria of France, and six children who survived beyond early childhood. However, his dismissal of Parliament, his imposition of unpopular taxes and his attempts to impose religious uniformity contributed to increasing civil and political unrest, and eventually to the English Civil Wars (1642–51), culminating in his execution in 1649.

King Charles is presented informally in this portrait. His elevated status as a monarch is nevertheless indicated by his dignified expression and the refinement and luxury of his clothes. Perhaps the key indication of his power is his ability to secure the services of one of the most fashionable artists in continental Europe. Charles, a passionate collector and patron of art, invited the Dutch artist Gerrit van Honthorst to England in 1628, when he painted this portrait and a large allegorical group portrait now at Hampton Court Palace.

National Portrait Gallery, London Purchased with help from the Art Fund, 1965
© National Portrait Gallery, London