Painting History: Delaroche and Lady Jane Grey (National Gallery London)

In the aftermath of the Revolution, the French public turned to British history as a way of making sense of its recent past, and no French artist of the 19th century was more inspired by English subjects than Paul Delaroche. His monumental work The Execution of Lady Jane Grey was one of the most familiar and enduring images of his time, and remains today among the most popular paintings in the National Gallery. This authoritative book presents The Execution with other major history paintings and preparatory sketches that made Delaroche's reputation during his lifetime. It is complemented by an essay by the distinguished Tudor historian John Guy, who outlines the short life of Lady Jane Grey, Queen of England for nine days, and the development of her enduring mythical status as an innocent martyr.