The Wallace Collection
Today, (Happy May, by the way), we were on our way to take a Thames River boat ride upriver toward Kew, Richmond and Hampton Court Palace. But when we went out it was obvious today was going to be one of those “periodic showers” days and we decided a River cruise might not be ideal.
As long as we’ve been here, people have been suggesting to us that we visit the Wallace Collection – a fine museum located about a 20-minute walk from our flat. So we changed plans and headed there. Despite all the recommendations we had received, we were not prepared for what we found – an incredible number of fantastic artworks. There is cabinet after cabinet of gorgeous Sevres porcelain; hundreds of beautiful small bronze sculptures; enamels by the hundreds; and incredible roomsful of 14th, 15th and 16th century swords, shields and armor. This is not to even mention the Titians, Canalettos, numerous Dutch masters, and other paintings.
The absolutely amazing thing is that this collection was amassed by a single (very wealthy) family over about a 70 year period starting in 1800. It was bequeathed to the British nation by Lady Wallace in 1897 and is the largest and most valuable private collection ever bequeathed to any nation. (Unfortunately, since virtually all museums do not permit photography, we have no pictures we can post to give you a taste of the collection.) If you’re interested, check it out at the Collection’s own website: http://www.wallacecollection.org/index.htm. From that page click on “Works of Art” and from there on “Gallery Views”. This will show building plans of each floor. Try clicking on the room names – many of them will open up views of parts of the collection.
As long as we’ve been here, people have been suggesting to us that we visit the Wallace Collection – a fine museum located about a 20-minute walk from our flat. So we changed plans and headed there. Despite all the recommendations we had received, we were not prepared for what we found – an incredible number of fantastic artworks. There is cabinet after cabinet of gorgeous Sevres porcelain; hundreds of beautiful small bronze sculptures; enamels by the hundreds; and incredible roomsful of 14th, 15th and 16th century swords, shields and armor. This is not to even mention the Titians, Canalettos, numerous Dutch masters, and other paintings.
The absolutely amazing thing is that this collection was amassed by a single (very wealthy) family over about a 70 year period starting in 1800. It was bequeathed to the British nation by Lady Wallace in 1897 and is the largest and most valuable private collection ever bequeathed to any nation. (Unfortunately, since virtually all museums do not permit photography, we have no pictures we can post to give you a taste of the collection.) If you’re interested, check it out at the Collection’s own website: http://www.wallacecollection.org/index.htm. From that page click on “Works of Art” and from there on “Gallery Views”. This will show building plans of each floor. Try clicking on the room names – many of them will open up views of parts of the collection.
posted by Chuck and Kathi Calvano @ 4:48 PM
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