Wallace Collection
The Wallace Collection
Hertford House
Manchester Square
London
Greater London
W1U 3BN
England
Website
The Main Website
Wallace Prints
Wallace Restaurant
www.thewallacerestaurant.co.uk
Bookings
General Enquiries
enquiries@wallacecollection.org
Telephone
Education Department
020 7563 9551
General Enquiries
020 7563 9500
Fax
020 7224 2155
The Wallace Collection is a national museum which displays the wonderful works of art collected in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess. It was bequeathed to the British nation by Sir Richard's widow, Lady Wallace, in 1897.
Displayed at Hertford House, the main London townhouse of its former owners, the Wallace Collection presents its outstanding collections in a sumptuous but approachable manner which is an essential part of its charm.
It is probably best known for its paintings by artists such as Titian, Rembrandt, Hals (The Laughing Cavalier) and Velázquez and for its superb collections of eighteenth-century French paintings, porcelain, furniture and gold boxes, probably the best to be found anywhere outside France.
But there are also splendid medieval and Renaissance objects, including Limoges enamels, maiolica, glass and bronzes, as well as the finest array of princely arms and armour in Britain, featuring both European and Oriental objects.
Venue Type:
Museum, Gallery, Historic house or home
Additional info
Our library is open to the public by appointment only.
The Wallace Collection
Hertford House
Manchester Square
London
Greater London
W1U 3BN
England
Website
The Main Website
Wallace Prints
Wallace Restaurant
www.thewallacerestaurant.co.uk
Bookings
General Enquiries
enquiries@wallacecollection.org
Telephone
Education Department
020 7563 9551
General Enquiries
020 7563 9500
Fax
020 7224 2155
The twenty five galleries are a feast of French 18th Century paintings, furniture and porcelain from the Courts of Louis IV & IV of France and Marie Antoinette. The Wallace is also famous for Frans Hals's Laughing Cavalier and a host of other superb Old Master Paintings, as well as the biggest collection of antique arms and armour outside the Royal Armouries in Leeds.
Collection details
Archives, Decorative and Applied Art, Fine Art, Weapons and War, World Cultures
Key artists and exhibits
- Hals
- Boucher
- Canneletto
- Rubins
- Rembrandt
- Velasquez
- Van Dyke
- Reynolds
- Gainsborough
- Fragonard
- Titian
- Guardi
- Watteau
- Riesner & Boule furniture
- Sevres Porcelain
Collections services
- General guide to collections available
- Object identification and/or written enquiry service
- Public access available to collections information
- Specialist publications on collections available
- Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
The Wallace Collection
Hertford House
Manchester Square
London
Greater London
W1U 3BN
England
Website
The Main Website
Wallace Prints
Wallace Restaurant
www.thewallacerestaurant.co.uk
Bookings
General Enquiries
enquiries@wallacecollection.org
Telephone
Education Department
020 7563 9551
General Enquiries
020 7563 9500
Fax
020 7224 2155
The Noble Art of the Sword: Fashion and Fencing in Renaissance Europe
The Wallace Collection will stage The Noble Art of the Sword, which celebrates the artistic and cultural importance of the sword, as a symbol of power and prestige, as a flamboyant fashion statement, and as an icon of the Age of Discovery. It will be composed of weapons and related works of art from the Wallace Collection; never-before-seen illustrated works on fencing drawn from the Lord Howard de Walden library; loans from a number of the great collections of arms and armour; and portraits, prints and drawings that will help place the Renaissance civilian sword in its social and artistic context.
This major international exhibition will also explore the ancient origins of the modern sport of fencing. Fencing is one of only nine original Olympic events practised since the first Olympiad of the modern era of 1896. It is set to reveal a place in history where art and sport converged.
Since the early Bronze Age the sword has been a sign of wealth, status and the power of divine right. Yet before the sixteenth century, the sword was almost never carried on the person in everyday life. It was a rare, noble weapon, carried into battle by the aristocratic warrior class but set aside in peacetime. However, the increasing prominence of the Renaissance middle classes brought a fundamental change to the sword’s place in society. Now large numbers of non-noble but often wealthy and upwardly mobile people could also afford rich things like fine clothes, jewellery and weapons.
An exciting programme of events will accompany the exhibition including themed talks and tours, handling sessions and live demonstrations.
Suitable for
- Any age
Website
The Wallace Collection
Hertford House
Manchester Square
London
Greater London
W1U 3BN
England
Website
The Main Website
Wallace Prints
Wallace Restaurant
www.thewallacerestaurant.co.uk
Bookings
General Enquiries
enquiries@wallacecollection.org
Telephone
Education Department
020 7563 9551
General Enquiries
020 7563 9500
Fax
020 7224 2155
Right Royal Stories: Art and Story Workshop
Come and meet kings, queens, princes and princesses. Hunt down their portraits and their favourite objects, find out about their stories and learn how to greet them right and proper. Create your very own royal story using drawing and words, all with the help of art educator Roxanne Matthews.
Suitable for
- 11-13
- 7-10
- 14-15
- Especially for children
When
10:30am-12:30pm
Where
The Wallace Collection
Admission
£7 per child, ages 6+. Accompanying adults free. Also at 2-4pm. Booking essential on 020 7563 9527 or booking@wallacecollection.org
Website
Cupid, Draw Back Your Bow
Hear about Cupid and the story of his mischievous adventures. Look for pictures and sculptures of him in the gallery and create and decorate a magical arrow with the power to make two people fall in love! (Maybe you will find out whether it really works this Valentines Day!). With artist Marc Woodhead.
Suitable for
- 5-6
- 11-13
- 16-17
- 18+
- 14-15
- 7-10
- Family friendly
When
2-3:45pm
Where
The Wallace Collection
Admission
Free drop-in activity, ages 5+
Website
Cupid, Draw Back Your Bow
Hear about Cupid and the story of his mischievous adventures. Look for pictures and sculptures of him in the gallery and create and decorate a magical arrow with the power to make two people fall in love! (Maybe you will find out whether it really works this Valentines Day!). With artist Marc Woodhead.
Suitable for
- 5-6
- 11-13
- 16-17
- 18+
- 14-15
- 7-10
- Family friendly
When
10:30am-12:15pm
Where
The Wallace Collection
Admission
Free drop-in activity, ages 5+
Website
A Day in the 18th Century!
Step back in time, enter the world of the Ancien Régime and celebrate 18th-century French arts and entertainment. Learn traditional dances and songs, get your hair and make-up done in an 18th-century style with a 21st-century twist, try your hand at popular games of chance and even meet Marie Antoinette! Families can make puppets inspired by the commedia dell'arte and go on a digital treasure hunt, while adults can attend talks on 18th-century theatre, painting and decorative arts.
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
11am-4:30pm
Where
The Wallace Collection
Admission
Suggested donation £2
Website
Getting to Grips with Glass
Join curator Suzanne Higgott for this rare opportunity to take a close-up look at some fascinating historic glasses found in the Wallace Collection. What clues can we use to discover how, where and when they were made, or who might have used them? And can science provide any answers?
Suitable for
- 18+
- Not suitable for children
When
2-4pm
Where
The Wallace Collection
Admission
£10 per person. Booking essential on 020 7563 9527 or booking@wallacecollection.org
Website
The Science of Fakes and Forgeries
Join Head of Conservation David Edge, conservator Juanita Navarro and metallurgist Alan Williams to find out how science has helped our curators and conservators to distinguish genuine medieval and Renaissance objects from clever 19th-century fakes and forgeries!
Suitable for
- 18+
When
10am-1:30pm
Admission
£12 per person. Booking essential on 020 7563 9527 or booking@wallacecollection.org.
Website
Family Public Tour
Have you been looking for the perfect unique family tour? Well look no further! Taking you on this exciting, creative, thrilling and interactive journey will be the young curators from St Vincent's Primary School. Explore the collection through new eyes and handle objects as they guide you through its intriguing corridors and magnificent rooms.
Suitable for
- Any age
Admission
Free
Website
Mad Hatters Easter Tea Party!
Join artist Zoe Bates to discover fanciful fashions and Easter imagery. Try on our historical replica hats and helmets and then create your own headwear with colourful paper, ribbons, feathers and handmade pom-pom chicks. Celebrate your new spring style with tea and biscuits!
Suitable for
- 7-10
- 11-13
When
10:30am-12:30pm
Admission
£7 per child, ages 6+. Booking essential on 020 7563 9527 or booking@wallacecollection.org
Mad Hatters Easter Tea Party!
Join artist Zoe Bates to discover fanciful fashions and Easter imagery. Try on our historical replica hats and helmets and then create your own headwear with colourful paper, ribbons, feathers and handmade pom-pom chicks. Celebrate your new spring style with tea and biscuits!
Suitable for
- 7-10
- 11-13
When
2-4pm
Admission
£7 per child, ages 6+. Booking essential on 020 7563 9527 or booking@wallacecollection.org
Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Monteverdi
In collaboration with Guildhall School of Music & Drama, this mini-opera recreates Monteverdi's thrilling vision of an epic sword fight in music, complementing our exhibition 'The Noble Art of the Sword: Fashion and Fencing in Renaissance Europe.' Evening performances take places seated cabaret style in the glazed courtyard restaurant, include additional music, a talk by curator Toby Capwell and the opportunity for an evening view of the exhibition.
Suitable for
- 18+
When
6:30-8:30pm
Admission
£15 per person (£8.50 concessions). Booking essential on 020 7563 9567. Two performances - 6.30pm or 8.30pm.
Website
The Wallace Collection
Hertford House
Manchester Square
London
Greater London
W1U 3BN
England
Website
The Main Website
Wallace Prints
Wallace Restaurant
www.thewallacerestaurant.co.uk
Bookings
General Enquiries
enquiries@wallacecollection.org
Telephone
Education Department
020 7563 9551
General Enquiries
020 7563 9500
Fax
020 7224 2155
The Wallace Collection
Hertford House
Manchester Square
London
Greater London
W1U 3BN
England
Website
The Main Website
Wallace Prints
Wallace Restaurant
www.thewallacerestaurant.co.uk
Bookings
General Enquiries
enquiries@wallacecollection.org
Telephone
Education Department
020 7563 9551
General Enquiries
020 7563 9500
Fax
020 7224 2155
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