| Hampton Court Palace became a royal palace in 1528, on its acquisition by Henry VIII from Cardinal Wolsey. Its Tudor buildings, surrounded by 60 acres of garden and 750 acres of park, are among the most important in existence, and William and Mary?s improvements, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, are an outstanding example of the English Baroque. This eclectic blend of Tudor and Baroque architecture and design is mirrored in the Hampton Court Palace Collection. More specifically, the wonderfully carved and gilded ceiling in The Chapel Royal was the inspiration for the ?webbed? castings, providing an interplay of smooth and textured surfaces, hence combining both classic and modern design elements. |
