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Wellington Collection
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<h2 id="list-of-paintings">List of paintings</h2> <p>The notable collection of over 200 paintings on display includes 83 paintings from the Spanish royal collection. At the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Vitoria/cUXCsD2S">Battle of Vitoria</a> in northern Spain in 1813, the British army captured a carriage full of paintings from the Spanish royal collection.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Joseph_Bonaparte/ECLveSKX">Joseph Bonaparte</a>, whose brother <a href="/facts/Napoleon/8TKBIjPM">Napoleon</a> had made him king of Spain, had already lost Madrid, escaping with over 200 paintings in the carriage. Most had been removed from their frames and were rolled up in a large "imperial" or travelling-chest, along with state papers, love letters, and other documents. After a quick look, Wellington and his staff thought there was nothing very important or valuable in it, but sent the imperial by sea to his brother <a href="/facts/William_Wellesley-Pole%2c_3rd_Earl_of_Mornington/vMlVaCl7">William, Lord Maryborough</a> (as he then was) in London for a proper check. His brother called in <a href="/facts/William_Seguier/bwnRaKs7">William Seguier</a>, later the first keeper of the <a href="/facts/National_Gallery/hbqUTpfr">National Gallery</a>, who recognised the quality of the paintings and compiled a list of 165 of the most important.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>Wellington then informed the court of the restored Bourbon King <a href="/facts/Ferdinand_VII_of_Spain/Qdy7HS7U">Ferdinand VII of Spain</a> of the incident, to make arrangements for their return, but the King said Wellington should keep them as a gift.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> The <i><a href="/facts/Arnolfini_Portrait/c8kw6xaV">Arnolfini Portrait</a></i> by <a href="/facts/Jan_van_Eyck/yFDqbABp">Jan van Eyck</a> was also in the carriage, but (being conveniently small) appears to have been looted by the soldiers, and next appeared in London in 1816 in the possession of a Scottish colonel who had been at Vitoria.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>Not all the paintings acquired by the first Duke have been on public display. For example, <a href="/facts/Dana%25C3%25AB_(Titian_series)/mrlEgE2n"><i>Danaë</i></a>, an important painting by <a href="/facts/Titian/s0xu1Xen">Titian</a>, long thought to be a copy, was kept in part of the house not open to the public. <i>Danaë</i> and two other Titians reattributed at the same time were briefly put on public exhibition, for the first time, in 2015.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p><p>The painting collection includes work by:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p><p><i>American School</i> </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/John_Singleton_Copley/SY572dvc">John Singleton Copley</a></li></ul> <p><i>British School</i> </p> <ul><li>Sir <a href="/facts/William_Beechey/lIyCVbvS">William Beechey</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/John_Burnet_(painter)/Uaklk34t">John Burnet</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/George_Dawe/y8vr0AKc">George Dawe</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/John_Hoppner/atHhGmDr">John Hoppner</a></li> <li>Sir <a href="/facts/Edwin_Landseer/uq3T8Avv">Edwin Landseer</a></li> <li>Sir <a href="/facts/Thomas_Lawrence/P7xPbdzX">Thomas Lawrence</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/William_Salter_(artist)/loE9jdgL">William Salter</a></li> <li>Sir <a href="/facts/David_Wilkie_(artist)/Y83Fy6U5">David Wilkie</a></li></ul> <p><i>Dutch School</i> </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Pieter_de_Hooch/BYaqzGkg">Pieter de Hooch</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_van_Huysum/C8uYk2zq">Jan van Huysum</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Nicolaes_Maes/vxznsdFB">Nicolaes Maes</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Willem_van_Mieris/MujtVIfn">Willem van Mieris</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Antonis_Mor/fKRqhJKQ">Antonis Mor</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Aernout_van_der_Neer/CVat9285">Aernout van der Neer</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Adriaen_van_Ostade/RfYHwKcK">Adriaen van Ostade</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Cornelius_van_Poelenburgh/M98fn8Nk">Cornelius van Poelenburgh</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_Steen/4EAPFFwB">Jan Steen</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Willem_van_de_Velde_the_Younger/tN1toqlQ">Willem van de Velde the Younger</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_Victors/EfVSEydg">Jan Victors</a></li></ul> <p><i>Flemish School</i> </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Paul_and_Mattheus_Brill/9qP5Steh">Paul Brill</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Adriaen_Brouwer/h94WIKXS">Adriaen Brouwer</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_Brueghel_the_Elder/bN8r8AHQ">Jan Brueghel the Elder</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Anthony_van_Dyck/oMjnMJhr">Anthony van Dyck</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Antony_Francis_van_der_Meulen/p2kbKvSV">Antony Francis van der Meulen</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Peter_Paul_Rubens/gqpMwUay">Peter Paul Rubens</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/David_Teniers_the_Younger/Hzt1ISSp">David Teniers the Younger</a></li></ul> <p><i>French School</i> </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Claude_Lorrain/3dnaIDJ0">Claude Lorrain</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Claude-Joseph_Vernet/WCS9aAsN">Claude-Joseph Vernet</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Robert_Lef%25C3%25A8vre/sQXEgVIg">Robert Lefèvre</a></li></ul> <p><i>German School</i> </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Hans_von_Aachen/FeYa4aQx">Hans von Aachen</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Adam_Elsheimer/rFUUN7Sx">Adam Elsheimer</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Anton_Raphael_Mengs/NuX6bz2W">Anton Raphael Mengs</a></li></ul> <p><i>Italian School</i> </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Leandro_Bassano/3AkyIu71">Leandro Bassano</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Cecco_del_Caravaggio/FqTMIwnx">Cecco del Caravaggio</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Giuseppe_Cesari/CQq513cw">Giuseppe Cesari</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Carlo_Cignani/P9azCUVF">Carlo Cignani</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Antonio_da_Correggio/cAy1gcPT">Antonio da Correggio</a> (including <i><a href="/facts/Agony_in_the_Garden_(Correggio)/bClpQu3q">Agony in the Garden</a></i>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Luca_Giordano/E8pec6rm">Luca Giordano</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Antiveduto_Grammatica/yUmHG0bG">Antiveduto Grammatica</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Guercino/R8jCRLGD">Guercino</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Giovanni_Paolo_Panini/bk2KUq4d">Giovanni Paolo Panini</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Guido_Reni/Kh4I4ouq">Guido Reni</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Giulio_Romano/vTY8v3YW">Giulio Romano</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Salvator_Rosa/73cXv6KX">Salvator Rosa</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Francesco_Trevisani/9z3hqrI9">Francesco Trevisani</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Marcello_Venusti/zhXnPyr0">Marcello Venusti</a></li></ul> <p><i>Spanish School</i> </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Diego_Vel%25C3%25A1zquez/sEJJCAp3">Velázquez, Diego</a> (4 paintings, including <i><a href="/facts/The_Waterseller_of_Seville_(Vel%25C3%25A1zquez)/fWXpGDqA">The Waterseller of Seville</a></i>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Francisco_Goya/yG0aRx0w">Francisco Goya</a> (1 painting)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Bartolom%25C3%25A9_Esteban_Murillo/yAJrIjAK">Bartolomé Esteban Murillo</a> (3 paintings)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jusepe_de_Ribera/JqWEBwCH">Jusepe de Ribera</a> (3 paintings)</li></ul> <h2 id="other-art">Other art</h2> <p><a href="/facts/Antonio_Canova/v98I27Mp">Antonio Canova</a>'s heroic marble <a href="/facts/Nude/vbVcL8SP">nude</a> of <i><a href="/facts/Napoleon_as_Mars_the_Peacemaker/o1pyLc7W">Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker</a></i> (1802–10) is holding a gilded <a href="/facts/Nike_(mythology)/aoFg4enS">Nike</a> in the palm of his right hand, and stands 3.45 metres (11.3 ft) to the raised left hand holding a staff. It was set up for a time in the <a href="/facts/Louvre/wtUVdNUF">Louvre</a> and was bought by the British government for Wellington in 1816 and is placed at the bottom of a stairwell (in some people's opinion rather dismissively).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p><p>The 1st Duke received many gifts from European continental rulers that are displayed in the House: </p> <ul><li>A pair of large candelabra of <a href="/facts/Siberian/oaCoPEjF">Siberian</a> <a href="/facts/Porphyry_(geology)/7K4IzbvF">porphyry</a>, <a href="/facts/Ormolu/fzbUnF94">ormolu</a> & <a href="/facts/Malachite/NG5p4aCv">malachite</a> centre and two side tables, presented by <a href="/facts/Nicholas_I_of_Russia/rP0v4wXz">Nicholas I of Russia</a>.</li> <li>A pair of <a href="/facts/Sweden/u3qC7lyj">Swedish</a> porphyry urns, from King <a href="/facts/Charles_XIV_John_of_Sweden/zkQrKArE">Charles XIV John of Sweden</a>.</li> <li>A dinner service of <a href="/facts/Berlin_porcelain/ze5Rozg8">Berlin porcelain</a>, from <a href="/facts/Frederick_William_III_of_Prussia/TDGqXJeW">Frederick William III of Prussia</a>, to honour the Duke after his victory over <a href="/facts/Napoleon/8TKBIjPM">Napoleon</a> at the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Waterloo/jmATjc2f">Battle of Waterloo</a> in 1815.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> This is now partly set out as for a dinner.</li> <li>The <a href="/facts/Egyptian_revival_decorative_arts/RrWLEKfP">Egyptian revival</a> dinner service of <a href="/facts/Manufacture_nationale_de_S%25C3%25A8vres/r5uG0orA">Sèvres porcelain</a>, from <a href="/facts/Louis_XVIII_of_France/uftmsJ6U">Louis XVIII of France</a>.</li> <li>The silver and silver-gilt Portuguese service of over a thousand pieces, from the Portuguese <a href="/facts/Council_of_Regency/K0JDrJ6K">Council of Regency</a>.</li> <li>The Saxon Service of <a href="/facts/Meissen_porcelain/ol9wbfmE">Meissen porcelain</a>, from <a href="/facts/Frederick_Augustus_I_of_Saxony/mYMwtUuL">Frederick Augustus I of Saxony</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Batons_of_Arthur_Wellesley%2c_1st_Duke_of_Wellington/LKAQ6Stm">Seven marshal's batons from various European continental rulers</a> (and another three from the British monarchs). Nine of them are on display at Apsley House (the <a href="/facts/Russian_Empire/hg1g5SpV">Russian</a> baton was stolen in the 1960s).</li></ul> <p>Napoleon's sword had been given to Wellington by <a href="/facts/Gebhard_Leberecht_von_Bl%25C3%25BCcher/VA1vA0Kc">Blücher</a>. Made by Napoleon's goldsmith <a href="/facts/Martin-Guillaume_Biennais/x787JH2t">Martin-Guillaume Biennais</a>, it is today on display at Apsley House along with its three scabbards.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> The Duke's uniform and other memorabilia may be seen in the basement. </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Stratfield_Saye_House/3zxgX6yS">Stratfield Saye House</a>, the country home of the dukes of Wellington</li></ul> <h2 id="notes">Notes</h2> <ul><li>"Titian at Apsley House": <a href="http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/imported-docs/p-t/titian-exhibition-guide">"Titian at Apsley House", PDF</a>, Exhibition Guide, 2015, <a href="/facts/English_Heritage/rDKouWmj">English Heritage</a></li> <li>Kauffmann, C.M., revised by Susan Jenkins, <a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/imported-docs/a-e/apsleyhouseartcatalogue.pdf"><i>Catalogue of Paintings in the Wellington Museum, Apsley House</i></a>, 2009, English Heritage/Paul Holberton Publishing, 342 page PDF, <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 9781903470787</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> Wikimedia Commons has media related to Apsley House. <ul><li><a href="https://www.wellingtoncollection.co.uk/">Official website</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Nicolson, Adam (2003). "Heritage held hostage to class war". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 March 2018. <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3589549/Heritage-held-hostage-to-class-war.html" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3589549/Heritage-held-hostage-to-class-war.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Plan Your Visit". Wellington Collection. Retrieved 8 February 2019. <a href="https://www.wellingtoncollection.co.uk/plan-your-visit/" target="_blank">https://www.wellingtoncollection.co.uk/plan-your-visit/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Apsley, 1; "Apsley House collection", English Heritage <a href="http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/apsley-house/history/collection" target="_blank">http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/apsley-house/history/collection</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Kauffmann, 9-11 <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Kauffmann, 11-12 <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Campbell, Lorne, The Fifteenth Century Netherlandish Paintings, 176, National Gallery, 1998, ISBN 0-300-07701-7 <a href="/wiki/Lorne_Campbell_(art_historian)" target="_blank">/wiki/Lorne_Campbell_(art_historian)</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Titian at Apsley House, 10 <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>the list from: Apsley House Wellington Museum, Simon Jervis, Maurice Tomlin & Jonathan Voak 1995 <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Bryant, Julius (1 October 2005). "How Canova and Wellington honoured Napoleon". Apollo. Apollo Magazine Ltd. Retrieved 24 October 2023 – via TheFreeLibrary. When the Duke of Wellington was given Canova's monumental statue of Napoleon as Mars in 1816, he placed it in the stairwell of Apsley House in London. This position is often interpreted as a calculated insult to the Duke's old foe, but, as Julius Bryant argues, it was in fact a carefully thought-out tribute. <a href="https://www.thefreelibrary.com/How+Canova+and+Wellington+honoured+Napoleon%3a+when+the+Duke+of...-a0137875955" target="_blank">https://www.thefreelibrary.com/How+Canova+and+Wellington+honoured+Napoleon%3a+when+the+Duke+of...-a0137875955</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Duke of Wellington's 400-piece gilt dinner set laid out for first time". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2017. <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/26/duke-wellingtons-400-piece-gilt-dinner-set-laid-first-time/" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/26/duke-wellingtons-400-piece-gilt-dinner-set-laid-first-time/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Wellington Dinner Service Vase - Waterloo 200". /waterloo200.org. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170328105531/http://waterloo200.org/200-object/the-prussian-meissen-wellington-dinner-service/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20170328105531/http://waterloo200.org/200-object/the-prussian-meissen-wellington-dinner-service/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Andrew Roberts (2002). Napoleon and Wellington: The Battle of Waterloo and the Great Commanders who Fought it. Simon & Schuster. p. 211. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Qj4icV7a4pYC&pg=PA211" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=Qj4icV7a4pYC&pg=PA211</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>