Name: The Wallace Collection
Address: Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN, UK
Telephone: 020 7563 9500
Rating: 4.8

Museum of world-sourced antiques, sculpture, artworks and armour, set within a palatial townhouse.

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The Wallace Collection is housed in Hertford House, which was the London residence of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford, and Sir Richard Wallace.

Family Home

The collection was principally formed by the 1st to 4th Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, spanning five generations of collecting.

Generations of Collecting

The Wallace Collection is particularly strong in French 18th-century paintings, furniture, and porcelain.

Focus of the Art

Unlike many major London museums, admission to the Wallace Collection is free, allowing everyone to enjoy its treasures.

Admission

The collection boasts a significant armoury, including European and Oriental arms and armour.

Extensive Armoury

The collection was bequeathed to the British nation by Lady Wallace, Sir Richard Wallace's widow, in 1897.

Lady Wallace's Gift

One of the most famous paintings in the collection is 'The Swing' by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, a quintessential example of Rococo art.

The Swing

The Wallace Collection

The Wallace Collection, housed in Hertford House, offers a remarkably complete vision of aristocratic taste during the 18th and 19th centuries. What sets it apart is the sheer breadth of its holdings, encompassing not only masterpieces of French painting by artists like Fragonard and Boucher, but also an exceptional array of arms and armour, Sèvres porcelain, and furniture. The collection's origins lie in the private acquisitions of the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, who amassed these treasures with a discerning eye. Unusually, the collection was bequeathed to the nation with the stipulation that it remain permanently on public display and that no object ever be loaned. This ensures that the visitor always experiences the collection as it was intended, a snapshot of a specific moment in collecting history. A lesser-known highlight is the museum's collection of portrait miniatures, offering intimate glimpses into the lives of historical figures. The building itself, a former townhouse, contributes significantly to the atmosphere, allowing visitors to imagine these objects within a domestic setting.

Introduction

The Wallace Collection owes its existence to the bequest of Lady Wallace, the widow of Sir Richard Wallace, who unexpectedly inherited a vast fortune and art collection from the 4th Marquess of Hertford. Sir Richard Wallace, the likely illegitimate son of the Marquess, significantly contributed to the collection's character, adding armour, medieval, and Renaissance works to the 17th- and 18th-century French furniture, Old Masters, and 19th-century paintings assembled by Lord Hertford.

Despite claims that Wallace intended the collection to become a museum, the decision ultimately rested with Lady Wallace. Her bequest to the British nation stipulated that the collection be housed at Hertford House and named "The Wallace Collection," memorializing her husband. This act was seen as exceptionally generous, with the Prince of Wales describing it as "one of the finest collections in the world."

Lady Wallace's gift was groundbreaking, marking a significant contribution by a woman to the public sphere at a time when the Women's Movement was gaining momentum. Her bequest helped raise awareness of the major role women could play in shaping public institutions. The Wallace Collection stands as a testament to Sir Richard Wallace's collecting passions and Lady Wallace's pivotal decision to share it with the world, forever linking their names to one of the United Kingdom's most treasured museums.

Richard Wallace Bequest

The Wallace Collection's origins are deeply entwined with the Seymour family, specifically the Marquesses of Hertford. Hertford House, the Collection's location in Manchester Square, was once the Seymour family's London townhouse. The collection itself is largely the creation of Richard Seymour-Conway, the 4th Marquess of Hertford, and his illegitimate son, Sir Richard Wallace, spanning five generations of collecting.

The family's collecting habits began in earnest with Francis Seymour-Conway, the 1st Marquess of Hertford, who acquired works by artists like Joshua Reynolds. As ambassador to France under Louis XV, he befriended Madame de Pompadour, whose portrait by Boucher is a highlight of the collection. His son, Francis Ingram-Seymour-Conway, the 2nd Marquess of Hertford, continued the family's passion for art, acquiring a Gainsborough.

The 4th Marquess, Richard Seymour-Conway, was a recluse who dedicated himself to expanding the art collection, acquiring significant French art during the French Revolution. His illegitimate son, Sir Richard Wallace, inherited the collection and added to it, including a notable collection of arms and armour. Lady Wallace bequeathed the entire collection to the nation, opening it to the public in 1900, ensuring the Seymour family's legacy as art collectors would endure.

Seymour Family

The Wallace Collection stands as one of the world's foremost repositories of French 18th-century decorative arts, rivaled only by the Louvre, Versailles, and the Mobilier National in France. This London museum boasts an extensive array of French furniture, including significant pieces by André-Charles Boulle, renowned for his brass and turtleshell marquetry. The collection also features works by other notable furniture makers such as Martin Carlin, Étienne Levasseur, Alexandre-Jean Oppenord, Jean Henri Riesener, and Adam Weisweiler.

Beyond furniture, the Wallace Collection showcases an impressive selection of Sèvres porcelain, representing every phase and style of the 18th century. The holdings include a remarkable 137 vases, 80 tea wares, 67 useful wares, 3 biscuit figures, and 130 plaques, predominantly adorning furniture. These pieces were acquired by the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace between approximately 1802 and 1875.

The collection's significance is further underscored by its status alongside Waddesdon Manor and the Royal Collection as one of the largest and most important collections of French 18th-century decorative arts in the United Kingdom. The Large Drawing Room within Hertford House displays some of the most spectacular works by André-Charles Boulle, while the Oval Drawing Room features French furniture and paintings by François Boucher, enriching the visitor's experience of the era's artistic achievements.

French Decorative Arts

Hertford House, located in Manchester Square, Westminster, serves as the home of the Wallace Collection. Originally the townhouse of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford, the house was acquired in 1797 by the 2nd Marquess of Hertford. The 4th Marquess used it largely to store his expanding art collection. Sir Richard Wallace, the 4th Marquess's illegitimate son, inherited the art collection and the lease of Hertford House in 1871, subsequently returning from Paris to take up residence.

Between 1872 and 1882, Sir Richard Wallace significantly altered the house, adding a rear extension for his art collection, a new front portico, and converting stables and coach houses into galleries. The building received a red brick facade, and the windows were altered. Lady Wallace bequeathed the collection to the nation in 1897, and the government acquired the lease of Hertford House to permanently house the Wallace Collection.

Hertford House opened as a museum on June 22, 1900. In 2000, the inner courtyard was covered with a glass roof, and a restaurant named "Cafe Bagatelle" was opened. The Entrance Hall retains its appearance from Sir Richard Wallace's time, featuring marble busts of the 4th Marquess, Sir Richard Wallace, and Lady Wallace. The museum does not aim to recreate the house's appearance during the Wallaces' residence.

The Wallace Collection

Did You Know?

Family Home

Generations of Collecting

Focus of the Art

Admission

Highlights from Reviews

Location