Room 57: The Great Bed of Ware

The Great Bed of Ware, room 57

The enormous, three-metre-wide, Great Bed of Ware dominates Room 57. Probably built for an inn at Ware, Hertfordshire, about 1590, it is twice the size of a normal bed of the period. In contrast to this, portrait miniatures, popular during the reign of Elizabeth I are also on display here. Aiming to give the impression of stability, Elizabeth commissioned artists to create highly stylized portraits of herself which were distributed both in the form of prints to the masses as well as miniatures in lockets and gold cases to her favourites.

Room 57 is on Level 2 of the V&A South Kensington.

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Objects you can find in this gallery:

Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton

8 February – 22 April 2012

Featuring portraits of Queen Elizabeth II by royal photographer Cecil Beaton, this exhibition celebrates Her Majesty in her roles as princess, monarch and mother and coincides with the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne.

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'The Great Gatsby' Text Poster

'The Great Gatsby' Text Poster

'The Great Gatsby' classic American book poster (unframed)

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Event - Norfolk House Music Room Concert

Fri 01 October 2010–Fri 13 July 2012

PERFORMANCE: Free concerts by musicians from the Royal College of Music are performed on selected Friday evenings in the beautiful setting of the Norfolk House Music Room, from 18.30 – 19.30.

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