After a meeting in the West End yesterday, and with a little time before my next appointment, I found myself in Manchester Square and remembered having lunch in the marvellous covered court yard at the Wallace Collection there a while back and my resolution to return at some point to take a proper look at the museum.
The front of the building is grand and imposing and it is hard to believe that it was once a private residence of four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace. Even more amazing to think that all the art inside was collected by just one family over the years and donated to become a national museum.
On entering the building I was handed a floor plan by a rather formal commissionaire and started my exploration. Being just after opening time the place was almost empty – bar the various guides who spoke softly to each other as I passed by.
The entrance hall is dominated by a large stair case and I noticed the signs for the current sword exhibition. It was like the set for a Merchant Ivory film. In each of the first rooms I entered there were central round seats where you could sit and take in all the treasures around you. Heavy red curtains, delicate chandeliers and more gilt than you could shake a stick at. The place is stuffed with intricately decorated cupboards, Regency chairs, massive mirrors that reach to the ceilings and oil portraits of family members and, no doubt, members of the social elite of their time.
I smiled in the front and rear State Rooms at the large number of paintings depicting hunting scenes – lots of dead birds and dogs. There were glass cases containing beautifully decorated ceramics and flatware. There was an enormous writing desk and I could almost imagine someone seated there while a fire roared in the ornate fireplace and the large clock ticked softly in the background.
Another gallery contained brass, alabaster and terracotta reliefs on the walls and cases containing bronzes – most of them with a religious theme. I admired one small bronze of Hercules fighting a lion. On many of the cases there are covers to protect the items from the light and you are invited to lift them to view. It was a bit like unwrapping presents seeing what was concealed beneath.
In the Smoking Room there were coins and plates and an excellent view out into that lovely courtyard restaurant where you can enjoy an al fresco experience regardless of the vagaries of London weather.
Then into one of the European Armour rooms containing cross bows, swords, decorated guns, worn saddles, spurs and a heavily decorated cannon. Another of these rooms contains two models of fully armoured men mounted on horses. It is quite a sight.
The Oriental armoury room contains more unusual exhibits – with items from China, Turkey and Japan. There’s also items on the Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail such as the sword of Ranjit Singh. I nearly missed all the shields attached just below the ceiling.
Upstairs there is the Great Gallery where the walls are covered in large and small oil paintings. Lots of portraits of people in their finery, hunting scenes with dogs and religious scenes. And paintings by artists such as Van Dyck, Titian, de Champaigne, Murillo and Hals – even a Canaletto. And I was surprised to find The Laughing Cavalier. Upstairs there’s also a former boudoir (very pink) and drawing rooms in the most masculine dark emerald – all with more paintings and objects d’art.
I couldn’t resist a little wander into the Courtyard restaurant and popped downstairs to the loos – there are all manner of modern exhibition spaces in the basement where they hold events. I picked up a leaflet for families and young people and learned about swordplay Saturdays and summer art workshops. There's also an app ibook on "Queen of Weapons"
http://www.wallacecollection.org/thecollection
