Exalted in Edwardian society for their philanthropy and cultural patronage, a circle of German-Jewish magnates emerged as the foremost art collectors in fin-de-siècle Britain. But during the dark days of World War One their loyalties were condemned, their collections scattered after their deaths, and their legacy largely erased from art history. Magnates & Masterpieces is the first book to restore their story; author John Hilary joins us in conversation Monica Bohm Duchen to examine their New Humanist upbringings, ideals and ambitions, above all their enduring faith in art’s power to enrich the soul.
