Suzi had a morning appointment on Friday and urged Cathy and me to do something on our own. She and Keith would meet us for lunch around 1. So we took the bus to Oxford Street, then walked past Selfridges to Manchester Square, home to the stunning jewel box that contains The Wallace Collection–one of London’s best kept art museum secrets. The collection is a multi-generational one, “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.” The house itself is worth the visit, but the art it contains has lured me back four times.
Cathy and I began downstairs, with the large collection of religious art and miniatures protected under glass with special leather covers to prevent fading. The downstairs displays follow the exterior walls of the house, going around the central glassed-in conservatory, which now holds the museum’s cafe and restaurant. Most of the armor galleries were closed for conservation, but we did get to check out some absolutely stunning carved saddles (which look horrifically uncomfortable until you remember that the rider would have been in full armor, and the saddle built to support that). This room also holds many beautiful paintings depicting North African subjects, which I found fascinating, having lived in Africa for over four years. I wish I had gotten a photo of the painting of a Sudanese man hunting a lion, because this is actually still a rite of passage in many Sudanese tribes today, so it’s actually quite modern, though the subject was painted in the late 18th century.
We continued up the grand staircase into the central hall, where I took a detail shot of an idyllic 18th-century scene:
The upstairs rooms are decorated sumptuously with fabric on the walls and incredible curtains. I think Cathy took as many photos of curtains upstairs as of artwork, because many would have made splendid gowns! I grabbed a snap of this one, which would be a lovely Regency gown:
I love imagining the art soirees and parties that were held in this house in its heyday. Each room opens into the next and has its own color theme and subject matter. This is the still life (Dutch masters) room:
Next up is my favorite room:
We enjoyed our leisurely morning in the collection, then headed to the conservatory restaurant to meet Suzi and Keith:
Lunch was delicious, but dessert was absolutely divine: Dark Chocolate and Caramel Tart with Cream!
Suzi, Cathy, and I talked and strategized about the September 2015 tour and worked out some new options while we ate. It was a delightful time, and then Cathy and I opted to head onward to the V&A Museum to see the special Wedding Gowns exhibit on in the Costume Gallery. Alas, photos weren’t allowed, so you’ll have to be content with this picture of the exhibit guidebook and my ticket!
Oh, and let me take time out for my teenage Dr Who geeks, who begged me to find an iconic police box in London and snap a picture. Turns out there is one a tube stop beyond the V&A at the Earls Court station. I wasn’t sure which exit to take, so I stopped at the information booth. Before I could get out, “I’m looking for the…” the guard pointed the other direction and said, “It’s that way!” Obviously, this is a popular attraction!
Cathy and I decided to have tea and a welcome sit-down break in the V&A’s William Morris cafe’, which is always a treat:
Next time I’ll share photos from the Christmas Windows at Selfridges and Harrods!
Historical Fashion Tours with Sense & Sensibility 