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Art, Animals, and Politics: Knowsley and the earls of Derby . By Lloyd Stephen . 236mm. Pp 288, many colour ills. Unicorn Press , London , 2015. isbn 97819100065822 . £20 (pbk).
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This book has its origins in a conference held at Knowsley Hall in 2013. The conference had as its theme 'Art, Animals and Politics', and these subjects can be traced through the thirteen papers presented in this volume, covering the period from 1450 to 1900. The Stanleys as patrons of both the visual and the dramatic arts are examined, as is the family involvement with natural history and with national politics. There are other cross-currents at work within this collection: for example, the roles of powerful and notable women who married into the family.
The conference boasted some distinguished speakers, who have in turn contributed to this work. The keynote speech was delivered by David Starkey, examining the involvement of the Stanley...