Hugh Roberts
Encyclopedia
Sir Hugh Ashley Roberts, GCVO
, FSA
, is an art historian
and curator
.
He was a director of the Royal Collection
, the art collection of the British Royal Family
, and is a Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art
, whose office is responsible for the care and maintenance of the royal collection of works of art owned by the Sovereign
of the United Kingdom
in an official capacity.
Roberts was closely involved in the restoration of Windsor Castle
, a medieval castle and royal residence located in Windsor, Berkshire
, England, notable for its long association with the British Royal Family and its architecture after its 1992 fire.
, an art-business and a fine-arts auction house, and was the head of its Decorative Arts Department. His particular area of expertise is rench furniture|French and English furniture
and interior decoration of the 18th and 19th centuries; he has written extensively on these subjects in Royal Collection exhibition catalogues and major journals.
On 20 April 2010, on his retirement as Director of the Royal Collection, Roberts was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
.
, a daughter of the 1st Baron Aldington
; they have two daughters.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, FSA
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
, is an art historian
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
and curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
.
He was a director of the Royal Collection
Royal Collection
The Royal Collection is the art collection of the British Royal Family. It is property of the monarch as sovereign, but is held in trust for her successors and the nation. It contains over 7,000 paintings, 40,000 watercolours and drawings, and about 150,000 old master prints, as well as historical...
, the art collection of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
, and is a Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art
Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art
The office of Surveyor of the King's/Queen's Works of Art in the Royal Collection Department of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom is responsible for the care and maintenance of the royal collection of works of art owned by the Sovereign in an official capacity — as...
, whose office is responsible for the care and maintenance of the royal collection of works of art owned by the Sovereign
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in an official capacity.
Roberts was closely involved in the restoration of Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
, a medieval castle and royal residence located in Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
, England, notable for its long association with the British Royal Family and its architecture after its 1992 fire.
Career
He was previously a director of Christie'sChristie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
, an art-business and a fine-arts auction house, and was the head of its Decorative Arts Department. His particular area of expertise is rench furniture|French and English furniture
English furniture
English furniture has developed largely in line with styles in the rest of northern Europe, but has been interpreted in a distinctive fashion. Regional styles are significant, for example between the North Country and the West Country....
and interior decoration of the 18th and 19th centuries; he has written extensively on these subjects in Royal Collection exhibition catalogues and major journals.
On 20 April 2010, on his retirement as Director of the Royal Collection, Roberts was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
.
Personal life
On 13 December 1975, Roberts married Jane Stephanie LowJane, Lady Roberts
Priscilla Jane Stephanie, The Hon. Lady Roberts, CVO has been the Curator of the Print Room at Windsor Castle since 1975 and the Royal Librarian since 2002....
, a daughter of the 1st Baron Aldington
Toby Low, 1st Baron Aldington
Toby Austin Richard William Low, 1st Baron Aldington, KCMG, CBE, DSO, TD, DL, PC , was a British Conservative Party politician and businessman.-Life:...
; they have two daughters.