After the 1841 general election, Melbourne was replaced as prime minister by Sir Robert Peel, who appointed Albert chairman of the royal commission in charge of redecorating the new Palace of Westminster. The Palace had burned down seven years before, and was being rebuilt. As a patron and purchaser of pictures and sculpture, the commission was set up to promote the fine arts in Britain. The commission's work was slow, and the palace's architect, Charles Barry, took many decisions out of the commissioners' hands by decorating rooms with ornate furnishings that were treated as part of the architecture. Albert was more successful as a private patron and collector. Among his notable purchases were early German and Italian paintings—such as Lucas Cranach the Elder's Apollo and Diana and Fra Angelico's St Peter Martyr—and contemporary pieces from Franz Xaver Winterhalter and Edwin Landseer.; . The National Gallery, London, received 25 paintings in 1863 presented by Queen Victoria at the Prince Consort's wish . See external links for works in the Royal Collection. Ludwig Gruner, of Dresden, assisted Albert in buying artworks of the highest quality.
After the 1841 general election Melbourne was replaced as prime minister by Sir Robert Peel, who appointed Albert chairman of the royal commission in charge of redecorating the new Palace of Westminster. The Palace had burned down seven years before, and was being rebuilt. As a patron and purchaser of pictures and sculpture, the commission was set up to promote the fine arts in Britain. The commission's work was slow, and the palace's architect, Charles Barry, took many decisions out of the commissioners' hands by decorating rooms with ornate furnishings that were treated as part of the architecture. Albert was more successful as a private patron and collector. Among his notable purchases were early German and Italian paintings—such as Lucas Cranach the Elder's Apollo and Diana and Fra Angelico's St Peter Martyr—and contemporary pieces from Franz Xaver Winterhalter and Edwin Landseer.; . The National Gallery, London, received 25 paintings in 1863 presented by Queen Victoria at the Prince Consort's wish . See external links for works in the Royal Collection. Ludwig Gruner, of Dresden, assisted Albert in buying artworks of the highest quality.