National-Regional Museum Network
The Wallace Collection is delighted to announce a major step forward in its work with regional museums, with the establishment of a new Museum Network.
The National-Regional Museum Network comprises of the Wallace Collection and four leading regional institutions: the Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle; Compton Verney; the Holburne Museum, Bath; and Waddesdon Manor (The Rothschild Collection, The National Trust).
Wallace Collection Director Rosalind Savill said: ‘The Wallace Collection has in recent years actively sought opportunities to work constructively with other institutions both in this country and internationally. Because of the restrictions of Lady Wallace’s bequest, we have sought more creative ways to make our wonderful collections more widely available and to share expertise and knowledge with others.
The Museum Network brings together a fascinating group of institutions, the collections of which (notably the Bowes Museum and Waddesdon Manor) parallel in varying ways those of the Wallace Collection. The most important common thread is, however, that the spirit and individual character of each institution still resides in its founding collection, whether put together by one individual such as Sir William Holburne, several generations of the same family as here at the Wallace Collection or, indeed, actively growing as at Sir Peter Moores’ wonderful new creation at Compton Verney.
I see the establishment of the Museum Network as a tremendously exciting opportunity for this group of museums to work together in all sorts of new ways over the coming years.”
The Museum Network will operate flexibly, with annual meetings at Director level accompanied by regular meetings of other working groups comprising all or some of the partner institutions and covering activities such as exhibitions, education and conservation. Projects already underway or under discussion include: Joint loan exhibitions to tour participating venues Development of a pilot e-learning programme on Portraiture by the Bowes Museum, Holburne Museum and Wallace Collection, with funding from the DCMS/DfES Strategic Commissioning Fund Participation in the Wallace Collection’s major plans to revolutionise the presentation of information on its collections and associated learning opportunities Collaboration on conservation, especially focusing on the exceptional furniture collections in several of the Museum Network partners Adrian Jenkins from the Bowes Museum said: “Over the past couple of years The Bowes has enjoyed an extremely productive relationship with the Wallace Collection, which has helped us to make The Bowes better known to a wider audience. The Museum Network is a welcome initiative that will bring benefits to each of the collaborating institutions, and collectively, all of our visitors”.
Richard Gray, Director of Compton Verney, said: ‘We opened in 2004 as a new art gallery, establishing itself through important acquisitions, ambitious exhibitions, and a stunning location. Compton Verney will be strengthened by the partnership with four galleries also well known for excellent collections, programmes and events, and a people-centred approach in an eloquent setting’.
Christopher Woodward, Director of the Holburne Museum, said: 'This has been a very good opportunity to explore what is distinctive about these Museums created by individual collectors and to share experiences of how to bring to life our founders today'. Pippa Shirley, Head of Collections at Waddesdon Manor said “As both a National Trust house, a major 19th century garden and home to the internationally important Rothschild collection, forging links with other institutions has been high on Waddesdon’s agenda for several years, so we are delighted to be joining the Network. Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, the creator of Waddesdon, regarded the Marquis of Hertford almost as a role model for his collecting, so it is particularly appropriate to reinforce links with the Wallace Collection, but we also welcome this initiative as a means of building creative relationships with other institutions with which we share so much common ground. As an opportunity for exchange of information and expertise it can only be of benefit to our visitors, the understanding and management of our collections and our profile”.
The Wallace Collection The Wallace Collection is a national museum in an historic London town house. The Collection was acquired principally in the 19th century by the Third and Fourth Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace. In the twenty-five galleries are unsurpassed displays of French 18th century painting, furniture and porcelain together with superb Old Master paintings. A magnificent collection of princely arms and armour is shown in four galleries and there are further important displays of gold boxes, miniatures, sculpture and Medieval and Renaissance works of art.
New Exhibition Galleries and a Study Centre enable the works of art and the history of collecting to be explored more widely and offer a space to show treasures from our partners’ collections. The Bowes Museum The Bowes Museum, a magnificent Grade 1 listed building, was purpose built in the 19th century by John and Joséphine Bowes, and opened to the public in 1892. The philanthropic couple had a vision to introduce the wider world of art to the local people. The museum contains an outstanding collection of art, furniture, ceramics and textiles covering a range of European styles and periods. A programme of international exhibitions is actively pursued to complement the diverse collection and unique history of the museum.
An independent charitable trust since August 2000, the museum relies on the support of visitors to ensure the wonderful treasures collected by its founders can be enjoyed by future generations. As well as building restoration works, further plans include restoration of the listed park and park buildings, the continuing enhancement of visitor amenities, particularly the dining and retail facilities, and redisplay of the exhibition galleries. Compton Verney Compton Verney opened in 2004 after extensive restoration, which has seen the previously derelict Robert Adam mansion transformed into a major new art gallery. The gallery is situated in 120 acres of parkland, landscaped by ’Capability’ Brown.
Over twenty gallery spaces have been created to show the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. The collections include paintings from Naples 1600-1800; German paintings and sculpture 1450-1650; the most significant collection of Chinese bronzes outside London; British portraits; the largest collection of British folk art in the country, and the Marx-Lambert collection of popular art.
The Holburne Museum The Holburne Museum was founded to display the art collection of Sir William Holburne, a sailor who grew up in Bath and spent his long retirement here studying and collecting works of art. Widely known for his silver and Old Master paintings, Sir William also collected porcelain, glass, furniture, portrait miniatures and Italian bronzes, such as the famous ‘Kneeling Venus’ once owned by King Louis XIV. Since Sir William’s time the collection has been greatly expanded and now includes landscapes by Guardi and Turner, and outstanding portraits by Stubbs, Ramsay, Raeburn, Zoffany and Bath’s own artists Thomas Gainsborough, William Hoare and the Barkers of Bath. Waddesdon Manor Waddesdon Manor (The Rothschild Collection) is a National Trust house open to the public. Bequeathed to the Trust by James de Rothschild in 1957, it is managed on its behalf by a Rothschild family trust under the chairmanship of the present Lord Rothschild (Jacob).
Created by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild during the 1870s as a showcase for his remarkable collection and a country residence for entertaining his many friends, and preserved and enhanced by subsequent members of the family, it is the last remaining complete example of the influential 19th-century “Rothschild style”. Set within one of the finest Victorian gardens in Britain, the collection boasts magnificent French furniture and porcelain, English 18th century portraits, 17th-century Dutch paintings, books and manuscripts, 18th and 19th century textiles, 16th century works of art, drawings and sculpture. It continues to grow. A highly important French 18th century silver dinner service made for George III was added in 2003 and an extraordinary modern chandelier commissioned from designer Ingo Maurer exemplifies a small but significant collection of contemporary work.
