Queen Anne: Patroness of Arts

Winn (John Dryden and His World) reconstructs the life story of Queen Anne (1665-1714) through impressive insight garnered from correspondence, poetry, music, and artwork created before and during her reign, which began in 1702. Winn is an ace at picking up on subtleties in the period’s music and poetry, giving readers an feel for the political and religious turmoil that infected Anne’s court. While much of the book focuses on the music and art created in her lifetime, Winn also points to several of the queen’s relationships and their influence on her court. Perhaps the most passionate and volatile of these was with Sarah, duchess of Marlborough. Anne’s intense love for Sarah kept her near and present throughout most of Anne’s reign, and much of her anxiety stemmed from her friend’s opposing political beliefs. Though Winn’s knowledge of his subject is deep, his lack of selectivity and the steady piling up of evidence works in inverse proportion to the book’s enjoyability. However, his writing and commentary, along with the musical samples found on the accompanying website, bring the queen’s history to life. (July)