The Wallace Collection

20/08/2026

Take a trail through the rolling hills, golden fields, dense forests and winding rivers of French landscape painting with us.

French landscape painting underwent a transformation between the 18th and 19th centuries, evolving from nostalgic and pastoral visions towards the direct observation of nature. Artists began to capture recognisable landscapes with a new immediacy and realism.

The beginnings of this shift can be seen in the early 19th-century work of Jules Dupré. His smaller-scale paintings depict intimate, familiar scenes in which the landscape is not idealised. Working indoors from sketches, Dupré brought a sense of realism and immediacy to his paintings through his looser handling of paint.

Born and brought up in France, Dupré had no formal art education. Instead, from the age of twelve, he worked as a porcelain painter in a factory. At the age of twenty, he came to England, where he was influenced by John Constable, capturing the interplay of sea, sky and land

After first exhibiting his work, Dupré rapidly gained national recognition, becoming a key member of the Barbizon School of painters which included Rousseau, Degas, Manet and Daubigny.

Explore how French painters embraced their native landscape with remarkable enthusiasm and imagination in our online course, Painting France.

Painting France
Online course
Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 September, 18.00–20.00 BST

🎟️ Book now: https://www.wallacecollection.org/whats-on/events/painting-france/

Jules Dupré, Crossing the Bridge, 1838

17/08/2026

'See Winston Churchill’s paintings and understand the man'

Journey through Winston Churchill's life - from the azure waters of the French Riviera to sun-drenched Morocco, from the grand halls of Blenheim Palace to the canals of Venice - and discover a new side to the great statesman. These were places Churchill loved to stay, and painting was, for him, a 'spur to travel.'

Don't miss our ★★★★ show and this rare insight into one of Britain's most celebrated figures.

Winston Churchill: The Painter tells the story of Churchill's artistic development, his friendships with artists and camaraderie with Presidents, and the fascinating - and often humorous - personal details that help understand the man behind the paintings.

Beyond politics, diplomacy and history was a man who found solace, purpose and joy through painting.

Experience the joie de vivre and book your tickets now to see this landmark exhibition. ⁠
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🎟️Book your tickets now: https://www.wallacecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions-displays/winston-churchill-the-painter/
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Winston Churchill: The Painter⁠
Until 29 November

📷️ © Daria Agafonova Photography

🎨 Sir Winston Churchill, La Dragonnière, Cap Martin C267, 1930s. Private Collection. © Churchill Heritage Ltd. Photograph by Howard Agriesti. Image courtesy Churchill Heritage Ltd⁠
🎨 Sir Winston Churchill, Cannes Harbour at Sunset C311, 1930s..Churchill Chattels Trust. © Churchill Heritage Ltd. Image courtesy Churchill Heritage Ltd.
🎨 Sir Winston Churchill, Venice, 1951, Heritage Collections, UK Parliament © Churchill Heritage Ltd
🎨Sir Winston Churchill, Marrakech, 1935–6, Collection of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Gift of the Beaverbrook Foundation. © Churchill Heritage Ltd
🎨 Sir Winston Churchill, The Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque C381, 1943. Private Collection. © Churchill Heritage Ltd
🎨Sir Winston Churchill, Les Zoraïdes, Cap Martin, 1935. Image courtesy Churchill Heritage Ltd⁠
🎨 Sir Winston Churchill, Château Saint-Georges-Motel, 1930s. Image courtesy Churchill Heritage Ltd⁠
🎨Sir Winston Churchill, Painting as a Pastime (London: Odhams Press; Ernest Benn, 1948). Peter Belchamber.
📷️Sir Winston Churchill in his painting studio at Chartwell, 1945 Credit: Hans Wild/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock

15/08/2026

Why was Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born 257 years ago today, so outraged by this statuette of himself?

Our Curator of Decorative Arts, Alexander Collins, tells the amusing story of why Napoleon ordered the other statuettes made alongside it to be melted down. Fortunately, the one we have in our collection - a statuette of Napoleon, paired with his second wife Empress Marie-Louise - is a survivor.

See the Emperor without his clothes in our West Galleries III.

François-Aimé Damerat, The Emperor Napoleon I, 1812
François-Aimé Damerat, The Empress Marie-Louise, 1812

14/08/2026

☀ The mountains of Scotland, the hills of Wales and the lakes and dales of England... your summer through Britain's landscapes awaits.

🎟️ Book now: https://www.wallacecollection.org/whats-on/events/painting-great-britain/

13/08/2026

🌹 War and Roses

Savour the details of this exquisite three-piece Sèvres porcelain set from the 1750s.

All three pieces are decorated with a ‘saffre et verd’ ground, a rare and technically challenging colour combination of underglaze blue (saffre) and overglaze green (verd) ground colour. At Sèvres, artists worked alongside chemists to produce an iconic colour palette that set its wares apart from contemporary porcelain production in France.

The reserves on the backs of the vases are painted with flowers, while the fronts feature figural scenes of military camps, possibly by the porcelain painter Jean-Louis Morin. At the time, France was fighting in the Seven Years’ War (1756–63), and, as was often the case with Sèvres decoration, these scenes may have been inspired by the political events of the day.

Crowning the ensemble is a bouquet of naturalistically modelled flowers.

Come and admire the elegance and intricacy of Sèvres porcelain in our Back State Room.

11/08/2026

Introducing Metamorphoses: Porcelain Sculpture by Rachel Kneebone

Discover new works by acclaimed contemporary artist Rachel Kneebone, who will present her arresting porcelain sculptures among the artworks of our museum.

Our forthcoming free display brings together nine works by Kneebone, including the new sculptures 'Bower' and 'Temple' (both 2026), created specially for the display.

Known for her intricate, surreal forms and fascination with dance, movement and transformation, Kneebone's sculptures invite us to look closely - discovering tangled bodies, fragments and unexpected connections within our dazzling surroundings.

Metamorphoses: Porcelain Sculpture by Rachel Kneebone
23 September–25 April 2027
Free display

Learn more: https://www.wallacecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions-displays/metamorphoses-porcelain-sculpture-by-rachel-kneebone/

10/08/2026

08/08/2026

⚔️ What does it take to be a real-life medieval knight?

We are home to one of the world's finest collections of arms and armour, from medieval Europe to 19th-century Asia, and over the summer our museum is bringing history to life with our resident knights in shining armour.

Experience thrilling live demonstrations, learn about individual pieces of arms and armour and what they were used for, and uncover what it really took to earn the title of knight.

In our free family event, Hands on Armour: Saturday Knight Live, step into the world of chivalry and combat and discover why knights still hold a formidable place in our imaginations.

▪️Hands on Armour: Saturday Knight Live
▪️Saturday 29 August
▪️13.30–16.00
▪️Plan your visit: https://www.wallacecollection.org/whats-on/events/hands-on-armour-saturday-knight-live-8/

07/08/2026

What connects Angelina Jolie, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill?

Churchill created this painting for US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, after they met in Casablanca in 1943 to discuss the Allies’ future strategy during the Second World War.

Our Director, Dr Xavier Bray, reveals why this extraordinary painting - created in the aftermath of that meeting and presented by one political giant to another - stands as a remarkable testament to friendship, diplomacy and the special relationship between two nations during one of the most pivotal points of the 20th century.

The painting remained in the US and was sold at auction in New Orleans in 2011 to actor Brad Pitt, as a gift for his then-wife Angelina Jolie. It was sold again by Christie’s in 2021, with the auction house remarking that it was ‘Churchill's most important work.’

Stand before the painting that symbolised one of history's greatest wartime alliances at ‘Winston Churchill: The Painter’. Until 29 November.

🎟️ Book your tickets now: https://www.wallacecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions-displays/winston-churchill-the-painter/

🎨 Sir Winston Churchill, The Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque C381, 1943. Private Collection. © Churchill Heritage Ltd. Image courtesy Churchill Heritage Ltd

04/08/2026

What do you love most about the landscapes of Great Britain?

From the rugged peaks of Scotland to the rolling hills of Wales and the tranquil lakes and winding dales of England, Britain's landscapes have long inspired awe.

Although landscape as a subject in its own right only began to be seriously considered in the 18th century, it would become one of the most important and quintessential aspects of British painting.

J.M.W Turner toured Britain every summer and recorded landscapes, coasts, towns and everyday scenes in his sketchbooks, including this image (slide 1) of boys crab fishing at the bay below Scarborough Castle.

Journey through the evolution of British landscape art and discover how the works of visionary painters inspired Turner and transformed the way we see the natural world in our online course, Painting Great Britain.

Painting Great Britain
Online course
Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 August, 18.00–20.00 BST

🎟️ Book now: https://www.wallacecollection.org/whats-on/events/painting-great-britain/

🎨 J.M.W Turner, Scarborough Castle: Boys Crab Fishing, 1809 (England)
🎨 William Andrews Nesfield, Kilchurn Castle, c. 1839 (Scotland)
🎨 Copley Fielding, Langdale Pikes, 1839 (England)
🎨 An Evening Scene, Thomas Sydney Cooper, 1852 (England)
🎨 Copley Fielding, Traeth Mawr, 1838 (Wales)
🎨 J.M.W Turner, Hackfall, near Ripon, c. 1816 (England)
🎨 Copley Fielding, Lake Katrine, 1838 (Scotland)