Wallace Collection – the main exhibition of the museum is the private collection of Richard Wallace, the last in line of five generations of a British aristocratic family.
“The Wallace Collection represents the two-sided face and the finest selection of French 18th century art and the happy end of a human tragedy, a drama of lunacy, harshness and hatred resembling that of the Greek tragedies.” – said Cyril Connolly, British writer and critic.
The museum was opened for the public in 1900, collecting artwork created between 15th and 19th century – over 5 thousand pieces of art in total. The rich collection was created by four generations of the Hartford family. The Black State Room is dedicated to the exquisite artwork of the French rococo, a period which lasted throughout the reign of Louis XV.
Wallace enlarged his collection in 1870 by buying en bloc – an important private collection, especially notable for its old weapons and medieval and renaissance artwork. After the government refused to accept his plea to give his collection to France after his death, the collection became property of his widow, Amélie Charlotte Castelnau (1819-1897). In 1894, the widow left the private museum’s collection to Great Britain.
The museum is also notable for its Oriental armory, rich in Indian weapons and armor, as well as artefacts from the Ottoman Empire and the Far East. The museum exhibits works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Velasquez and many other world-famous artists.
The Wallace collection is definitely worth the visit, and the entry is free of charge, so we see no reason why our visitors wouldn’t give it a chance.
Entry to the museum is FREE OF CHARGE.
Working hours Wallace collection
Every day from 09:00 am to 5:00 pm
photo credit: The Wallace Collection
