Sir Richard Wallace and Robert Stayner Holford were both avid art collectors. Both men had the common ambition to build a London townhouse in which to display their remarkable collections. Explore the monumental results of their work: Hertford House, Marylebone, and Dorchester House, Park Lane.

Despite being the home of the Wallace Collection today, remarkably little is known about Hertford House. Who was the original architect, and who was the mysterious T B Ambler who secured the prestigious commission to rebuild it? Dorchester House is an even greater challenge. Demolished to make way for the famous namesake hotel in 1929, only the architect’s intricate drawings survive.

Discover the remarkable story of two of London’s greatest treasure houses and engage with rare archival material from the Wallace Collection and the RIBA. You’ll gain an appreciation of Victorian architecture at its richest, and of the community of architects and artists that made London’s ‘Gilded Age’ a reality.

Read the full course description here.

Joining Information and Format: This course will be taught through Zoom Webinar. Each course session duration is 120 minutes, including a five-minute break and time for Q&A with the tutor. Tickets are for both dates. Ticket holders will be emailed the Zoom link, Webinar ID and Passcode 24 hours in advance of the first course session, which should be retained for accessing both sessions of the course.

Course Recording: This course will be recorded. Within 48 hours of each course session, ticket holders will be emailed a link to view the recording, which will be available for two weeks.   

Presented in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).