University of Manchester, Tabley House

Tabley House is home to a number of important paintings collected by the Leicester family, principally by the 1st Lord de Tabley, formerly Sir John Fleming Leicester, Bt (1762-1827).

The Drawing Room: principal paintings include 'Tabley, the Seat of Sir J.F. Leicester, Bart.: Windy Day': by J M W Turner; 'John, 1st Baron Byron': by William Dobson; "Eleanor Needham, Lady Byron": by Lely; "The Destruction of Herculaneum and Pompeii": by John Martin.

The Common Parlour: five paintings, by Anthony Devis, of the Old Hall and Park and of Tabley House and Park share this room with 17th and 18th century family portraits.

The Dining Room: 19th and 20th century family portraits, by artists from George Jones to Graham Rust, are principally featured in this room,
together with "The Raft", by Thomas Danby and the "Extensive Picturesque Landscape with Gypsies" by Sir Francis Bourgeois. The "Portrait of the Prince Regent, later George IV", by Sir Thomas Lawrence and studio, was commissioned in 1824.

The Oak Hall: the genealogical family tree is displayed here, with 19th century family paintings, including the James Northcote version of the Joshua Reynolds portrait of Sir John Fleming Leicester, Bt.

The Gallery: among the many paintings in the Gallery are 'Sir Peter Byrne Leicester, 4th Bt.' and "Lady Leicester" (nee Catherine Fleming of Rydal) by Francis Cotes; "Lady Leicester (nee Georgiana Cottin) as Hope" by Sir Thomas Lawrence; 'Portrait of Thomas Lister Parker, of Browsholme', by James Northcote (together with five other paintings by this artist); "Mrs Leicester" by Daniel Mytens; 'The Fall of Phaeton', and the 'Portrait of Sir John Fleming Leicester, Bart. Exercising his Regiment of Cheshire Yeomanry on the Sands at Liverpool' by James Ward; "Friar Puck" by Fuseli; "Market Day" by Callcott and the "Portrait of Lord de Tabley in his Peer's Robes" by the successive hands of Sir Joshua Reynolds, James Northcote and John Simpson.

Collection details

Decorative and Applied Art, Fine Art