THE GRACES

Impressively original and ingenious Brings the talented women of the Restoration Court gracefully to life OPHELIA FIELD author of The Favourite A spellbinding work of history that uncovers the inner lives and work of Maria of Modena and her graces the extraordinary women who practiced art poetry and politics within the misogyny of the Restoration court In 1673 fifteen year old Maria d Este travelled from Italy to marry James Duke of York the future King of England and a man twenty five years her senior Thrust from a pious life on the path to become a nun at the debauched court of Charles II she set about recreating the world she d left behind a world where women were highly educated exercised power and celebrated art and artists with concentrated patronage The Graces resurrects the life of Maria later Mary of Modena and those of the extraordinary young women she surrounded herself with at the Restoration court From Sarah Jennings later Sarah Churchill keen politician and favourite of Queen Anne to revered poet Anne Finch and founder of legendary literary salon Hortense Mancini these were women who defied the conventions of their time and the forces of misogyny working against them The era they lived through would be one of the most tumul