20 x 26 cm book, 196 pp., 156 illustrations (largely photographs).

OUT of PRINT

Lord Raby’s celebrated silver wine cistern was saved for the nation after a major appeal in 2011. It was part of the spectacular group of silver provided by the government for his important embassy to Berlin (1705-1711). He received even more silver as ambassador to the Dutch Republic (1711-1714) when he was Britain’s co-negotiator of the Peace of Utrecht. This book explores the political contexts to Lord Raby’s embassies; the craftsmanship, ritual function and cultural politics of Baroque court Goldsmiths’ work in England, Germany and Holland; as well as the influence of Prussia and peacemaking on the architecture, collections and gardening of Lord Raby’s Wentworth Castle estate in Yorkshire, which he had acquired in 1708.

“The book is particularly strong on the role of goldsmiths work in European diplomacy … [and] is delightfully wide-ranging, offering new scholarship on aspects of cultural politics and dining.” The Art Newspaper.

Editors: Patrick Eyres and James Lomax (2014).

This 2nd ‘Surrogate NAJ, enlarged and in colour’ comprises the proceedings of the 2012 Wentworth Castle conference, and was published on behalf the Wentworth Castle Heritage Trust. It is bound within a cover embellished with a specially commissioned wrap-around photograph of the Baroque wing of Wentworth Castle and the Raby Cistern.