Wallace Collection

The Wallace Collection occupies Hertford House, a Georgian mansion in Manchester Square that holds one of the finest private art collections ever assembled. The 4th Marquess of Hertford and his illegitimate son Sir Richard Wallace built the collection between 1840 and 1888, acquiring over 600 of the 775 paintings now on display. The 4th Marquess lived in Paris, where his immense wealth and refined taste made him virtually unrivaled as a collector. He particularly favored 18th-century French art, Rococo paintings, and elaborate furniture with royal French provenance.

Fragonard's The Swing, perhaps the most iconic Rococo painting ever made, hangs here alongside Frans Hals's The Laughing Cavalier. Works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Velázquez, and Jan Steen fill 25 galleries, complemented by world-class holdings of French furniture, Sèvres porcelain, and medieval armor. Lady Wallace bequeathed the collection to the British nation in 1897, and it opened as a public museum in 1900. The terms of the bequest forbid loans or new acquisitions, preserving the collection exactly as the Wallaces assembled it. Entry is free.