Wallace Collection

In a Georgian mansion just north of the West End, the Wallace Collection contains a magnificent array of fine arts. Everything from old masters and Sèvres porcelain to antiques and suits of armour is displayed in the former home of four generations of Marquesses of Hertford.

The bulk of the collection was acquired by the Fourth Marquess during his years in Paris. This was a period when French art was going cheap, thanks to its association with the Ancien Regime. As a result, the selection of 18th- century French art is impressive, with a number of paintings by Fragonard and Watteau amidst Louis XV furniture and Versailles fittings.

Although he never married, the solitary marquess fathered a son, Richard Wallace, who took over the collection in 1870. Wallace had a taste for medieval armour and Renaissance works of art, and added to the collection accordingly.

Temporary exhibits are to be found in the basement galleries. There is an attractive restaurant, Café Bagatelle, in the museum's refurbished courtyard.

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Contact Information

Wallace Collection
Manchester Square
W1U 3BN London

Tel. +442075639500

http://www.wallacecollection.org