WHAT KRISTINE SAW FROM THE WINDOWS: APSLEY HOUSE
ART AT APSLEY HOUSE
Apsley House, as you may have gathered from our other pictures, is full of artwork. Under the care of English Heritage are the many sculptures, portraits, old masters, and a few contemporary works.
In the Waterloo Gallery; above the mantel, Queen Mary Tudor, after Antonio Moro;
frame designed by Wyatt and made by Thomas Temple and Son, about 1830
In the Drawing Rooms
After his victory at Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington purchased Apsley House in 1817 from his elder brother, Richard, Marquess Wellesley, who had lived there since 1807. Several years later, Wellington had architect Benjamin Dean Wyatt remodel several rooms to enhance his aim to use the London mansion to entertain as well as to house his collections.
Though the largest number of paintings in the collection come from Madrid, several were presented to Wellington in 1812 by the Intendant of Segovia in gratitude and recognition of his service to Spain in the Peninsular War. Although most of these paintings are elsewhere, several hang at Apsley House.
Head of St Joseph, by Guido Reni (1575-1642)
After the Battle of Vitoria, in Spain just 85 miles from the French border, in June, 1813, Wellington’s troops captured the baggage train of King Joseph, the brother Napoleon had appointed puppet king of Spain. Joseph was attempting to take looted paintings from the Royal Spanish Collection to the Louvre in Paris, and in fact he managed to escape with about a dozen. The canvases had been removed from their frames and rolled up, and dozens were found in wagons among manuscripts, ancient books, and other booty.
Entering the Ark by Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568-1625)
These captured works were sent to London where Wellington asked his brother William Wellesley- Pole to have them assessed for damage and value. Once the rightful King, Ferdinand VII, was restored to the Spanish throne, Wellington tried to have the paintings sent back to Madrid. However, the King was so grateful to the British, he urged the Duke to keep them, which, after first declining, the Duke eventually agreed to do.
Agony in the Garden, by Antonio Allegri, called Correggio. c. 1525
The Last Supper, with the institution of the Eucharist and Christ washing the Disciple’s feet, workshop of Juan de Flandes, active 1490’s), one of a series of small panels belonging to Queen Isabella of Spain, d. 1504; probably the oldest paining in the collection.
Not all of the paintings have a religious theme.
The Waterseller of Seville by Diego Velasquez, C. 1620
Battle Scene with Classical Colonnade by Salvator Rosa (1615-1773)
More than eighty of the paintings from the Spajish Royal Collection now hang at Apsley House and most of them can be traced to their acquisition by various Spanish monarchs. Recent cleaning and research on paintings formerly identified as being from the studio or followers of Titian were recently confirmed to be by the master himself, Tiziano Vercellio, c. 1482-1576
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English Heritage restorer works on Titian’s Mistress, now cleaned and verified
as an actual Titian work
Titan’s Mistress
The 1st Duke of Wellington purchased paintings at sales in Paris after the war and at several sales of Dutch paintings; While active in politics, he did not buy often, but later, again turned to collecting art in the 1840’s.
Dutch landscapes have long been favorites of English nobles.
Architectural Fantasy with the Old Town Hall, Amsterdam
by Jan van der Heyden (1666-1699)
Some paintings were commissioned by the 1st Duke.
Chelsea Pensioners Reading the Waterloo Dispatch
by Sir David Wilkie, RA (1785-1841)
Read more about this painting here. The reported price of the painting was 1200 Guineas. The portrait below by Wilkie of King William IV, formerly Prince William, Duke of Clarence, was presented to the Duke by the King
King William IV, by Sir David Wilkie, RA, 1833
The 1st Duke also commissioned a painting by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer in 1826, finished three years later in 1829. It was exhibited at the Royal Academy and elsewhere. Its cost was 350 pounds. The Duke was said to be very pleased with the work.
The Illicit Highland Still, by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, RA,1829
As any visitor would expect, many of the artworks in the Wellington Museum collection relate to the 1st Duke’s career, his associates, and his victory in the Battle of Waterloo.
The Battle of Waterloo, 1815, by Sir William Allen, 1843
Allen’s panoramic painting shows the view from the French side of the battle, about 7:30 pm, “the last desperate attempt of Napoleon (seen on the right) to force the left centre of the allied army and turn their position. The Duke of Wellington is on the left. He reportedly said of the painting, “Good, – very good; not too much smoke.”
Many of the paintings are full length originals or copies by Beechey, Lawrence, and other leading portraitists of the early 19th Century. One example is below.
Henry William Paget,(176-1854) 1st Marquess of Anglesey KG
by Sir Thomas Lawrence, RA. 1818
The 1sr Duke purchased some of the oil sketches of Jan Pieneman, who created a huge painting of The Battle of Waterloo, the largest such work in Amsterdam’s Rijksmueum.
The Battle of Waterloo bu Jan Pieneman, Rijksmuseum; shows Wellington on horseback in center; the wounded Prince of Orange on the lower left.
The oil sketches below are just two of the many the Duke acquired. Pieneman created these works in the early 1820’s as life studies for his large painting, finished in 1824. It is on permanent loan from the Dutch Royal Collection to the Rijksmuseum. Some of the oil sketches hang at Apsley House.
Major General the Hon;Sir Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby (18783-1837)
above and left: Major General Sir Colin Campbell (1776-1847)
General Sir Colin Halkett, (1774-1856)
The Duke did not avoid pictures of the French. Napoleon and his first wife Josephine re on display, as well as a portrait of Pauline Bonaparte, Princess Borghese. In 1814 the Duke of Wellington purchased Pauline’s mansion in Paris on behalf of the British Government, It is still the Embassy of the United Kingdom in France.
Napoleon Bonaparte by Robert Lefevre (1755-1830)
The Empress Josephine by Lefevre
Pauline Bonaparte by Lefevre
Van Dyke’s Charles I, with an unfortunate reflection (not a flash)
hanging in the Waterloo Gallery
Charles I on Horseback, after Anthony Van Dyke
The original is in Buckingham Palace;
another version is in Highclere Castle which our tour will see soon
Bust of Napoleon by Canova
The Duke of Wellington Looking at the Bust of Napoleon
by Charles Robert Leslie, RA (1794-1859)
Victoria, Kristine and Diane Perkins pose with the Duke
The 1st Duke of Wellington (1769–1852)
copy after Thomas Lawrence by Spiridione Gambardella, 1860
This is a copy of the painting above, but with an added cape and spyglass.
This post covers a fraction of the fantastic collection at Apsley House, The Wellington Museum. Be sure you put it on your agenda for your next London visit!
ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS: APSLEY HOUSE
WE HAVE A WINNER!
Congratulations to Kathleen, whose comment was right on target and who was chosen as the winner of the trade paperback copy of Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles: A Celebration of Waterloo.
Kathleen, we have your address, and the book will be in the mail ASAP.
Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles is available on Amazon and elsewhere — trade paperback is $14.99. The e-book version, available on most platforms is $2.99.
Below, the Plate about which Kathleen answered three questions correctly. about the image on this Who is the bust? Admiral Lord Nelson
Who is the model portraying? Britannia
And who is the model? Emma, Lady Hamilton,
Thanks to all who entered…
GRANDFEST CRAFT FESTIVAL
Years of austerity bring new era of ‘make do and mend’
· Older people custodians of crafts now sought after by under 25s
· Yorkshire epicentre of bakers, Wales of home brewers and London of crochet experts
‘Heritage’ crafts once written off as old fashioned are experiencing a renaissance fuelled by recent austerity, with the skills possessed by the country’s elders now coveted by the under 25s.
According to research by older people’s charity, the Royal Voluntary Service, there is a high level of interest to learn a new skill or craft with 80 per cent of 18-24 year olds saying they would consider learning one if they had the option.
The Royal Voluntary Service commissioned the research to celebrate the launch of GrandFest – taking place in London this June – the UK’s first one day festival created for the older generation to share craft skills such as knitting, crochet, brewing and wooden toy making through a series of master classes.
The skills the under 25 year olds are most eager to master include baking (19 per cent), cooking (22 per cent), ballroom dancing (19 per cent) and knitting (18 per cent). However, on the wish list and also set to make a comeback, are home brewing, preserve making, home grown fruit and vegetables, model making and crochet.
Many of these craft skills are well known to older people, particularly those who lived through the war and grew up in years of austerity, and these ‘original makers’ want to share their know-how. Nearly three quarters (74 per cent) believe it is vital that traditional skills are passed to the next generation to keep them alive.
Particular knowledge gaps currently exist for preserve making (older people are nearly five times as likely to have the know-how), knitting and learning how to ‘grow your own’ (more than twice as likely) and home brewing (nearly twice as likely).
Felicity Kendal, Royal Voluntary Service Ambassador said: “Being able to create something from scratch or ‘make do and mend’ something from old is a valuable skill to possess. It’s wonderful that there is now a surge in demand for traditional crafts such as preserve making and crochet and that through GrandFest there is an opportunity to learn from those who have fine tuned their knowledge over the years.”
Every region is master of a different skill; the East of England is home to the most green fingered Britons capable of growing their own (35 per cent), while cooks (62 per cent) and knitters (23 per cent) are most prolific in the South West, home brewers in Wales (nine per cent), bakers in Yorkshire and Humberside (45 per cent), crochet experts (10 per cent) and ballroom dancers (eight per cent) in London, preserve making in the South East (11 per cent) toy and model makers in the North East (11 per cent).
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Over half (67 per cent) of over 65 year olds practice at least two hobbies on a regular basis and continuing to enjoy their passion contributes significantly to their health and wellbeing. Fifty seven per cent say it improves their quality of life by benefitting their mental health and 38 per cent, their physical health.
David McCullough, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service said: “We know how much value older people place on their hobbies, but these pastimes are so much more than just fun. They play a really important role in the lives of older people, from staving off fragility and dementia, to helping them keep physically active and bringing friends together. Many of our 36,000 volunteers are over 65 years old and they, and the older people we support, have a wealth of experiences and skills worth sharing which is why GrandFest was conceived.”
Royal Voluntary Service supports over 100,000 older people each month with a range of services from Good Neighbours, Community Transport and Books on Wheels to more interactive services such as Knit and Natter and Men in the Workshop.
The Men in the Workshop service provides a place where older men can come together to recreate local traditional crafts, learn new skills, reminisce and socialise. The workshop also provides opportunities for the wider community to get involved, including the younger generation, to learn from each other, share skills and build friendships.
About Royal Voluntary Service
· Formerly known as WRVS, Royal Voluntary Service has been helping people in Britain for 75 years.
Originally set up as the Women’s Voluntary Service in 1938, the charity played a crucial role during the Second World War.
Whilst keeping the same values of community service, Royal Voluntary Service has now focused its work on helping older people to remain independent and get more out of life.
Royal Voluntary Service is one of the largest voluntary organisations in Britain with 40,000 men and women helping people in their homes, the community, hospitals and in emergencies.
The charity is a founding member of the Campaign to End Loneliness, a partner in the Big Lottery funded project, Shaping our Age, a supporter of the Malnutrition Task Force and a member of the Care and Support Alliance, the Falls and Fractures Alliance, Age Action Alliance and the Dementia Action Alliance.
Royal Voluntary Service has Investing in Volunteers status in recognition of its good practice and effective volunteer management.