Introduction to the Museum The Wallace Collection is a museum located in Manchester Square, London. It was established in 1897 and opened to the public in 1900. The collection features fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries with important holdings of French 18th-century paintings, furniture, arms and armour, porcelain and Old Master paintings arranged into 25 galleries. It is open to the public and entry is free.
The Wallace Collection, London
Introduction to the Museum
The Wallace Collection is a museum located in Manchester Square, London. It was established in 1897 and opened to the public in 1900. The collection features fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries with important holdings of French 18th-century paintings, furniture, arms and armour, porcelain and Old Master paintings arranged into 25 galleries. It is open to the public and entry is free.
History of the Collection
The Wallace Collection was created by Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford (1800–1870), who left both it and the house to his illegitimate son Sir Richard Wallace (1818–1890). His widow Julie Amelie Charlotte Castelnau bequeathed the entire collection to the nation. The collection was established in 1897, and opened to permanent public view in 1900 in Hertford House, where it remains today.
Highlights of the Collection
The Wallace Collection is particularly rich in French 18th-century decorative arts, rivalled only by the Musée du Louvre, Château de Versailles and Mobilier National in France. The collection includes important holdings of French 18th-century paintings, furniture, arms and armour, porcelain and Old Master paintings. Some of the highlights of the collection include:
Visiting the Museum
The Wallace Collection is open to the public and entry is free. The museum is located in Hertford House, Manchester Square, London. It is easily accessible by public transportation, with the nearest tube stations being Bond Street and Oxford Circus. The museum is open every day except Christmas Day.
Conclusion
The Wallace Collection is a must-see for anyone interested in fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries. With its important holdings of French 18th-century paintings, furniture, arms and armour, porcelain and Old Master paintings, it is one of the largest, most important collections of French 18th-century decorative arts in the world. The museum's location in Hertford House, Manchester Square, London, makes it easily accessible for visitors from all over the world.
The Wallace Collection (
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Frans Hals ().
Jean-Honoré Fragonard ().
François Boucher ().
Elizabeth Thompson, Lady Butler ().