Coke of Norfolk: politician, agriculturalist and art collector

Abstract

While much has been written about the collecting practices of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester of the 5th Creation (1697–1759), less attention has been paid to those of his successor Thomas William Coke, later 1st Earl of Leicester of the 7th Creation (1754–1842). The first Thomas Coke was responsible for the construction and decoration of Holkham Hall in Norfolk. He was a passionate and enlightened collector, celebrated for his artistic contribution to Holkham. By contrast, biographers of Thomas William Coke have tended to focus on his career as a parliamentarian and agricultural reformer. This article seeks to redress that imbalance and examine the collecting habits of Thomas William Coke to demonstrate that he was an equally able collector, and to situate his collecting habits within the context of his time.