Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer is at the Mauritshuis, a museum located in The Hague, a city on the North Sea coast of the western Netherlands. The museum holds many of the world’s most precious Dutch and Flemish paintings from the seventeenth century. Built by order of Count Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen (1604–1679), the fine art institution has two locations: a city palace on the Plein and the Prince William V Gallery at the Buitenhof – both conveniently situated in the heart of the city.

Photo by C. McCain

Established in 1822, the Mauritshuis features prominent works from the Dutch Golden Age, a period from approximately 1585 to 1702, when Northern Netherlands experienced great advancements in painting, as well as science, architecture and engineering. With more than 800 pieces of art in its collection, the museum features paintings by Dutch Masters, such as Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn, Paulus Potter, Frans Hals, Jocob van Ruisdael and Peter Paul Rubens, among others. Works include portraitures, historical paintings, landscapes, seascapes, genre scenes and still lifes.

Photo by C. McCain

Virtual Tour of the Mauritshuis

When visiting Holland is not possible, a virtual tour of the Mauritshuis is a great way to explore the museum. In fact, the Mauritshuis was the first museum in the world to fully digitize its collection using the Gigapixel format, which means that you can virtually walk around the galleries and see each work of art as if you were standing in front of it. Artwork is available in pin-sharp detail making it easy to examine paintings while learning more through text provided by the museum’s curatorial staff.

Photo by C. McCain

You can even book a digital tour at the Mauritshuis with one of their expert guides. Once signed up, you will receive a link that enables you to participate in real-time from your computer. The virtual tours are available in English and Dutch on iPads, iPhones, Androids and AppleTV.

Photo by C. McCain

Collection Highlights at the Mauritshuis

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer

Johannes Vermeer. Girl with a Pearl Earring. c. 1665. The Mauritshuis.

Where is the Girl with a Pearl Earring? Known by some as the “Mona Lisa of the North,” Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665), on view in Room 15, is one of the most famous paintings of the seventeenth century. It is one of 34 paintings firmly attributed to Johannes Vermeer and attracts visitors to The Hague from all over the world. Learn More

Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt

Rembrandt van Rijn. The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. c. 1632. The Mauritshuis.

On view in Room 9, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp is Rembrandt’s first group portrait painted in 1632 when he was only 25 years old. This oil painting on canvas is considered one of the artist’s early masterpieces and was commissioned for the anatomy lesson given by Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. Learn More

The Bull by Paulus Potter

Paulus Potter. The Bull. c. 1647. The Mauritshuis.

According to the Mauritshuis, The Bull is particularly special because it takes something as ordinary as a bull and presents it on a grand scale – something that had never been done before. It was painted in 1647, and it is considered the epitome of Dutch naturalistic painting. Learn More

The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius

Carel Fabritius. The Goldfinch. c. 1654. The Mauritshuis.

Fans of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Donna Tartt will be familiar with this little gem. On view in Room 14, The Goldfinch (1654) is one of the few surviving works by Fabritius, and it depicts a life-sized goldfinch using oil paint on a panel. Following Fabritius’ death in 1654, the painting was lost for more than two centuries before its rediscovery in Brussels in 1859. Learn More

Ice Scene by Hendrick Avercamp

Hendrick Avercamp. Ice Scene. c. 1610. The Mauritshuis.

On view in Room 16, Ice Scene feels uniquely Dutch as it depicts people enjoying a wintery day on a frozen canal. According to the Mauritshuis, Avercamp was the first painter in Northern Netherlands to specialize in winter landscapes. Painted in 1610, Ice Scene reflects an aerial perspective technique, which refers to the effect the atmosphere has on the appearance of a scene from a distance. Learn More

Virtual Tour of the Mauritshuis: Featured Online Programs

In addition to virtual tours, YouTube videos, workshops and children’s programs, the Mauritshuis website is a treasure trove of content that provides critical context for the museum and its collection. Featured online programs include the following websites, apps and videos.

Courtesy of the Mauritshuis

Girl with a Blog features Abbie Vandivere, a painting conservator at the Mauritshuis, who explores all aspects of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and its cultural significates through research, expert insights and activities, as well as behind-the-scenes photos and updates. You can learn all the mysteries behind this famous work of art, including details about its subject, worth, materials and more.

A virtual tour of the Mauritshuis also includes information about various aspects of Johan Maurits’ life. Particularly, his role as the governor of the colony Dutch Brazil (1636–1644) to which he was appointed by the Dutch West India Company. Learn more about Johan Maurits’ involvement in the lucrative sugar mills and sugar cane plantations, as well as his role in the transatlantic slave trade between West and Central Africa and Brazil – a part of the Mauritshuis story which is noted for being previously downplayed.

The online exhibition Facelifts & Makeovers offers a glimpse into the world of the museum’s conversation department through the eyes of staff members Carol Pottasch, Sabrina Meloni and Abbie Vandivere. Together, with their team of interns and external specialists, they explore the Mauritshuis collection. From researching materials to restoration techniques, you can learn more about how they keep the artwork in excellent condition.

Courtesy of the Mauritshuis

View the Mauritshuis with Your Ears is a music project featuring songs inspired by paintings in the collection. Videos feature a painting, performer and original song. Musicians include Spinvis, MEROL, Harrie Jekkers, Willie Wartaal and more.

Museum Information

The Mauritshuis
Website: https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/
Phone: +31 70 302 34 56
Email: mail@mauritshuis.nl
Address: Plein 29, 2511 CS The Hague, The Netherlands

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Virtual Tour of the Getty Villa

About the Getty Villa
In 1968, businessman and philanthropist J. Paul Getty (1892–1976) began plans to build a Roman-style villa near Malibu to serve as a museum. Six years later, the new museum opened to the public and quickly became a cultural landmark. The Getty Villa houses the J. Paul Getty Museum’s extensive collection of antiquities, including 44,000+ objects of which roughly 1,300 are on view. The museum has 27 galleries organized by time period from the Neolithic Era to the late Roman Empire (ca. 6,500 BC to 400 AD).

© J. Paul Getty Trust

Tablinum at the Getty Villa Photo: Elon Schoenholz © 2018 J. Paul Getty Trust

© 2018 J. Paul Getty Trust

Highlights from the permanent collection include Neolithic clay figurines dating back to the sixth millennium BC, marble vessels and figurines from the Cycladic Islands and Cyprus dating back to the Bronze Age and a group of frescoes from the Villa of Numerius Popidius Florus at Boscoreale near Pompeii dating back to the first century AD. Two galleries are devoted to Roman sculpture and feature a number of life-size and larger Roman works, including the Statue of a Female Figure, a life-size bronze eagle, several portrait busts and three cornice blocks from a first-century BC building in Rome.

© 2018 J. Paul Getty Trust

© J. Paul Getty Trust

© J. Paul Getty Trust

The Etruscan gallery features sculptures, vases, bronze statuettes and carved amber. Additional galleries are devoted to Athenian pottery, a special strength of the collection, and Greek works from southern Italy and Sicily, including a remarkable terracotta group from 350–300 BC. The Getty’s collection of Roman gold and silver vessels, figurines and jewelry are displayed in the Roman Treasury, along with engraved gems and Roman gold coins on loan from private collections.

The Getty Villa underwent a major upgrade and reinstallation of its antiquities collection in 2017/18. The gallery space was increased by 3,000 square feet to accommodate a number of large objects previously kept in storage. The reinstallation featured a newly renovated gallery on the first floor dedicated to the age of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic World (336–30 BC). The centerpiece of this installation is the Victorious Youth, also known as the Getty Bronze. Other notable objects of the same period and style accompany the statue, including a marble head of Alexander the Great.

© J. Paul Getty Trust

The museum’s grounds offer four gardens that blend together 300+ plant varieties, Roman architecture and open-air spaces. The largest garden, Outer Peristyle, is a replica of the one at the Villa dei Papiri with a long pool at the center. The landscaping features plants typically found near the Mediterranean, such as apricot trees, grapevines and lavender. Visitors can stroll around the fragrant gardens while enjoying mosaic floors and colorful trompe l’oeil walls. The grounds also include a dramatic 450-seat outdoor classical theater perfect for hosting open-air performances.

Photo by Tahnee L. Cracchiola © 2018 J. Paul Getty Trust

Photo: Elon Schoenholz © 2018 J. Paul Getty Trust

Outer Peristyle at the Getty Villa Photo: Elon Schoenholz © 2018 J. Paul Getty Trust

Outdoor Theater at the Getty Villa Photo: Elon Schoenholz © 2018 J. Paul Getty Trust

Virtual Visit
From publications to audio tours, the Getty Center and Getty Villa offer plenty of online learning opportunities. Check out the museums’ highlights webpage for learning guides and the online library catalog for art history resources, including thousands of digitized works with detailed descriptions. The museums’ online offerings also include 350+ Getty Publications and 165,000+ art history books from libraries around the world. Many of the Getty Library’s rare books are accessible online featuring nearly 200 titles on alchemy and dozens of examples of some of the earliest photo books ever printed.

For more interactive programs, check out the Getty’s YouTube channels for access to hundreds of art history lectures, art-making activities and artist interviews. Popular videos include tutorials on how illuminated manuscripts are made, how tapestries are woven, how ancient Egyptians were mummified and how ancient sculptures are restored. The Getty’s two podcasts, Art & Ideas and Recording Artists: Radical Women, provide even more opportunities to learn about art and culture.

Contact Information
Address: 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Website: http://www.getty.edu
Email: visitorservices@getty.edu
Phone: (310) 440-7300

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What do you think attracted Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to the Isle of Wight?

The quiet and privacy of the Isle of Wight attracted Victoria and Albert. It was away from the official worries and cares of state that they had to deal with in London or Windsor. It was another world, somewhere apart. The development of the railways in the mid-nineteenth century meant that they could get to the island from London in about 4 hours. The use of their own private train and yacht did help to shorten the journey time … no boarding a public ferry for them!

Detail of Portrait of Queen Victoria on Papier Mâché Face Screen, 1840. Courtesy of Birmingham Museums Trust.

What makes Osborne House unique compared to other royal residences in the UK?

Osborne is unique as a royal residence because it was created from scratch by Victoria and Albert. It was the first home they made together, when they were both in their mid-twenties, already with a young, growing family. Victoria and Albert spent around 4 months a year at Osborne and it is a monument to their love, taste as collectors and a vibrant insight into their lives.

Courtesy of English Heritage

Can you describe Osborne House and its size?

Osborne was designed by Prince Albert and built by Thomas Cubitt. It is in the Italianate style and with its terraced, formal gardens, it takes advantage of a spectacular setting, overlooking the Solent. It has around 250 rooms and has four distinct, though connected, parts; the Pavilion in which Victoria and Albert had their own rooms; the Household Wing used by the member of the royal household who travelled with Victoria and Albert; the Main Wing where the royal children had their rooms; and the Durbar Wing which was a late addition to the house which was built to provide a large entertaining space. The outside of the house has two distinct towers, very much as one would see in any old public square in Italy, one for the clock and one for flying the royal standard. The Osborne estate was around 2,500 acres – it is now around 600 acres after parts of the estate were sold after Victoria’s death.

Courtesy of English Heritage

How much time did Queen Victoria and her family spend at Osborne House?

Queen Victoria and her family spent around 4 months of each year at Osborne. They always celebrated their birthdays at Osborne and after Prince Albert’s death in 1861, Victoria always went to Osborne for Christmas.

Can you describe design trends that influenced the style and evolution of Osborne House?

The Italianate style of architecture – a style inspired by the architecture of the classical world – was popular in the mid-nineteenth century and this was Albert’s choice.

Courtesy of English Heritage

Can you describe a few major changes made to Osborne House during Queen Victoria’s lifetime?

The most noticeable change was the addition of the Durbar Wing in the 1890s. This was built to provide Queen Victoria with a large dining/entertaining space as well as an apartment for her daughter Princess Beatrice, her husband and children. The size of the estate and the number of buildings (farm buildings, servants’ cottages, etc.) increased during Victoria’s time.

Courtesy of English Heritage

What is your favorite room at Osborne House? And, why?

My favourite room is the Queen’s Sitting Room with its floor to ceiling windows that open out onto a balcony where there are spectacular views across the terraced gardens, down to the private beach and over the Solent towards Portsmouth. It is quite a thought that in this modest room Queen Victoria and her ministers controlled a mighty empire.

Courtesy of English Heritage

How did Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their nine children prefer to pass the time at Osborne House?

The royal family preferred to spend as much of their time out of doors in the fresh air. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert swam off their private beach (Queen Victoria using her bathing machine which can still be seen on the beach today) and all their children were taught to swim in a large floating bath that Prince Albert designed. They walked and rode a lot around the estate and went on excursions on the water around the island on their yachts. Queen Victoria did a lot of painting in watercolours in the gardens and around Osborne, many of which are still in the Royal Collection.

Courtesy of English Heritage

What is your favorite piece of artwork on display at Osborne House? And, why?

My favourite art work is a life-size marble statue by J. Edgar Boehm of “Noble”, one of Queen Victoria’s favourite collie dogs. The sculpture was done when the dog was 14 years old and it sits in the Grand Corridor alongside many sculptures in the classical style. The fact that it is so prominently displayed shows Victoria’s great love of her pets. She commissioned many images of them, just as many in fact as she did of her family. A bronze cast of the marble sculpture at Osborne was put over Noble’s grave at Balmoral, Victoria’s home in Scotland.

Are there any items on display that offer clues about the royal couple’s relationship and/or parenting style?

By all accounts Victoria and Albert had a passionate relationship and many of the artworks at Osborne have an erotic charge. For example, the large painting by France Xaver Winterhalter that Victoria gave Albert as a birthday present one year shows an abundance of naked female flesh … and it hangs directly opposite their writing desks in Victoria’s sitting room. The bronze statue of Andromeda that stands in the middle of a fountain in the garden shows a beautiful young girl, in a very sensual pose, chained to a rock waiting to be rescued by Perseus. The statue was bought by Victoria and Albert at the Great Exhibition in 1851 and placed at Osborne soon afterward. Queen Victoria has a bad reputation as a mother but the fact that the nurseries at Osborne are immediately above her own rooms indicates that she wanted to have the children close by rather than pushed off into a completely separate part of the house. Although the children were in the care of staff nevertheless she and Prince Albert were able to see as much of their children when at Osborne as possible.

Courtesy of English Heritage

What might surprise visitors about Osborne House?

Visitors might be surprised by the intimate, family feeling that Osborne still has. The rooms are comparatively modest by royal standards. Unlike other residences associated with Victoria and Albert that are open, Osborne is the one that gives an intimate glimpse into their lives.

Have there been any recent updates to the visitor experience at Osborne House?

The most recent major addition to the visitor experience was the opening a few years ago of the private beach. There is also a recent exhibition about Victoria and Albert’s birthdays at Osborne and the gifts they gave to each other, many of which can be seen in the house.

Courtesy of English Heritage

Visitor Information
Click here for more information.

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Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle, is located in Romania’s Transylvania region approximately 28 km away from the city of Brașov. It is a historic castle known for having been the inspiration for the setting of Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic novel Dracula. 

“The castle is on the very edge of a terrible precipice. A stone falling from the window would fall a thousand feet without touching anything! As far as the eye can reach is a sea of green tree tops, with occasionally a deep rift where there is a chasm. Here and there are silver threads where the rivers wind in deep gorges through the forests.” ― Bram Stoker, Dracula

Courtesy of Bran Castle

Is Bran Castle Worth Visiting?

Yes! Bran Castle is a 14th-century structure that offers visitors a glimpse of the past while conjuring up spooky folklore that has haunted eastern Europe for centuries.

To learn more, Alexandra Cojanu, a representative of Bran Castle, shares her thoughts on what makes this castle so unique, as well as details about its fascinating history. Take a virtual tour of Dracula’s Castle in Romania.

What makes Bran Castle different from other castles in Romania?

Bran Castle is one of the most valuable medieval architectural monuments in Romania, known by tourists across the globe for the legend that revolves around it, being allegedly used by Bram Stoker as his model for Dracula’s Castle.

Courtesy of Bran Castle

What is something about Bran Castle that might surprise visitors?

The famous legend of the vampire is based on real historical facts and that’s what makes it so fascinating. History and fiction have mingled, thus creating an intriguing phenomenon that spread over the past two centuries throughout the entire world.

When was Bran Castle built?

The first written record of the Castle is an act issued by King Louis I of Anjou in 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Braşov) the right to build a stone citadel at their own expense and labor force. The structure seen today was largely built by the Saxons from 1377 onwards. The Castle’s main function was to be a defensive stronghold against the invading Turkish armies. It later also became a customs post controlling the mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia.

Courtesy of Bran Castle

Is there a connection between Bran Castle and Bram Stoker’s Dracula?

Bran Stoker has modeled his vampire Count Dracula on the 15th-century Romanian ruler Vlad III Basarab Draculea (Vlad the Impaler). In 1462, Vlad the Impaler was arrested and held hostage in a castle in Transylvania, most certainly Bran Castle, before being transferred to Visegrad Fortress, Hungary. This fact represents the most prominent link between Bran Castle and Vlad Draculea, the prince of Wallachia. On the other hand, Count Dracula’s castle in the novel was depicted based upon a description of Bran Castle, as sitting high above a valley, perched on a rock above a flowing river. Bran Castle is the only fortress in Transylvania that fits Bram Stoker’s illustration. Thus, although Bran Castle was not Vlad the Impaler’s ownership, it definitely must be fictional Dracula’s retreat.

Courtesy of Bran Castle

Why do you think Transylvania serves as an attractive setting for fictional works in the horror genre?

Although not particularly in this area, Romanian mythology is rich in very old legends about “Strigoi,” which are supernatural creatures similar to vampires, and usually, the troubled souls of the dead rise from the grave and sometimes also living people with certain unusual properties. Actually, the night before Saint Andrew’s Day (November 30th) is thought to be a magical one in Eastern-European folklore. There are certain horror and paranormal phenomena related stories associated with Bran Castle. The very core of Dracula’s legend is of horror origin, so we are doing our best to provide the ideal place for our visitors’ imagination to manifest freely.

Courtesy of Bran Castle

How big is Bran Castle?

There are 57 rooms in the Castle distributed over four floors and about two-thirds of them are open to the public. The others are either offices or storage rooms. Several collections of furniture, costumes, weapons and armors are displayed in the Castle. Bran Compound also includes the Royal Park with its two lakes, the Castle’s Restaurant and the recently opened Tunnel of Time.

Courtesy of Bran Castle

What changes did Queen Marie of Romania make to Bran Castle after she received it as a gift from the town of Brasov in 1920?

Its most prominent inhabitant was Queen Marie, King Ferdinand‘s wife, who lived there at the beginning of the 20th century. With the help of the Royal Court Architect, Karel Liman, the fortress became a home, and the small medieval castle turned into a fairy tale. Two towers were added. The stoves and the firesides in the castle became fireplaces. The murder holes became windows, and the castle was equipped with an elevator and a telephone. In order to assure the water supply, the 57 meters deep well dug into the inner courtyard was restored. In 1932, an electric plant was built to provide electricity for the castle and also to the neighboring villages: Bran, Şimon and Moieciu. The Tea House was built from wooden beams, as well as a stone guest house, a wooden church, the children’s homes and residences for the staff. Between the Castle and the Tea House – equipped with fir furniture and used for receptions – a funicular was set up to connect with the kitchen of Bran Castle, in order to ease the transport of the products served to the guests.

Courtesy of Bran Castle

What does the future hold for Bran Castle?

Bran Castle is an accessible, welcoming and challenging place. It’s a wonderful location for public events, but also for those who want to celebrate a special event in their life accompanied by a glass of Château Bran Merlot. It is a place where one’s imagination might run free, traveling from the 14th century up to the present time and from the accuracy of known history to an imaginary world and open future. Bran Castle is ranked first in the number of tourists visiting an attraction in Romania, and the Castle welcomed a total of 844,024 paid visitors in 2018. New exhibits and events are constantly being added to accommodate the increasing interest in the Castle and its links to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The annual calendar includes café concerts, events around different Romanian traditions, Halloween, Jazz at the Castle Festival, the Medieval Tournament, Valentine’s Day and among these, several corporate and private receptions, theme dinners and cocktails.

Bran Castle
Address: Str. General Traian Mosoiu, nr. 24
507025 Bran – Romania
Website: www.bran-castle.com

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Courtesy of the Wallace Collection

Courtesy of the Wallace Collection

Photo by C. McCain

About the Wallace Collection

The Wallace Collection’s artwork was collected by the first four Marquesses of Hertford, as well as Sir Richard Wallace who was believed to have been the fourth Marquess’ illegitimate son. Sir Richard became the fourth Marquess’ secretary and agent and ultimately, inherited the house where the Wallace Collection resides today, as well as a truly remarkable art collection.

Bust of Sir Richard Wallace. Courtesy of the Wallace Collection

Sir Richard Wallace died in 1890 and left everything to his wife, Julie Amelie Castelnau, otherwise known as Lady Wallace. Sir Richard had expressed the wish that his collection might become a museum after his death, but it was Lady Wallace who left almost all of the artwork to the nation as a museum when she died in 1897. Lady Wallace chose the name, The Wallace Collection, presumably as a fitting memorial to her late husband. The museum opened to the public in 1900. According to Lady Wallace’s will, no items are to be added to the collection or removed from it, so it has largely remained as Sir Richard left it.

The museum was closed and the artwork was evacuated during both world wars. In 1917, the air raids prompted the entire collection to be removed and stored at the Post Office tube at Paddington Station. On the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, the entire collection was evacuated, this time to centers outside London. In May 1940, Sir Winston Churchill famously said of the nation’s art treasures: “Hide them in caves and cellars, but not one picture shall leave this island.” Thankfully, there was only minimal damage to the building when a high explosive bomb detonated in the front lawn during the air raids of September 1940. The works of art returned from the countryside in 1945, and the collection re-opened to the public in July of that year.

Highlights from the Wallace Collection

From landscapes to portraits, the Wallace Collection offers many excellent European paintings, including old master paintings from Titian, Rubens, Fragonard, Gainsborough and Canaletto, among others. Highlights from the painting collection include The Laughing Cavalier by Frans Hals, Titus, the Artist’s Son by Rembrandt and Lady with a Fan by Diego Velázquez. Many remarkable sculptures, ranging from c. 1200 to 1900, are also displayed throughout the museum. Highlights from the sculpture collection include eighteenth-century works by French artists, including Bertrand, Coysevox and Houdon, as well as works from the Renaissance by Italian artists, including Giambologna and Torrigiani.

Photo by C. McCain

Courtesy of the Wallace Collection

Courtesy of the Wallace Collection

Courtesy of the Wallace Collection

Frans Hals. The Laughing Cavalier. c. 1624. The Wallace Collection

In addition to paintings and sculptures, the museum has an outstanding collection of decorative arts. Many of the objects are from eighteenth-century France and the medieval and Renaissance periods. Each piece has a fascinating, and sometimes mysterious, story to tell, such as the chest-of-drawers delivered to Louis XV’s bedroom at Versailles and the Bell Shrine of St. Mura, which was said to have descended from heaven.

Courtesy of the Wallace Collection

Photo by C. McCain

Courtesy of the Wallace Collection

Photo by C. McCain

The museum also features princely arms and armour – many considered to be some of the finest works in the collection. Although some objects were meant for combat, many are beautiful examples of the armourer’s art and were made for rulers and nobles across the world, including Shah Jahan, Mughal Emperor and Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor.

Courtesy of the Wallace Collection

Virtual Tour of the Wallace Collection

From collection talks to musical performances, the Wallace Collection makes it easy for people to virtually experience the museum from the comfort of home. Through the museum’s website, online visitors can access free, family-friendly activities, high resolution images, tours, lectures, courses and more.

Check out the Wallace Collection’s blog featuring art and objects from throughout the museum, including paintings, furniture, ceramics, arms and armour. Articles explore the collection from a variety of perspectives with fun, interactive content. The blog also provides news and updates about the museum’s programs and events.

Don’t miss Meet the Expert, which features monthly, themed programs hosted by members of the museum’s curatorial department. Each month begins with a short, online Gallery Trail highlighting a handful of unmissable objects from the Wallace Collection. Works in Context is a longer article explaining the meaning of the featured objects within a larger social or historical context, and it sets the scene for Expert’s Choice, a short film that delves deeply into the story behind the art. The month-long program is then wrapped up with an online lecture available to the public for free on the third Thursday of each month.

Featured Online Programs at the Wallace Collection

–Inside the Museum: 45 Years in just 88 Minutes features a bespoke virtual tour of the Wallace Collection by David Edge, former Head of Conservation. The video includes unseen library and archive materials, as well as Edge’s favorite stories and anecdotes from working at the museum since 1975.

–Ada de Wit, Curator of Works of Art and Sculpture, looks at the concept of Kunstkammer (cabinet of curiosities) and how this Renaissance tradition of collecting exceptional treasures from around the world was interpreted in the late nineteenth century by collectors, such as Sir Richard Wallace. Learn more about Kunstkammer with a free, online lecture titled Collecting Treasures: Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden and the Wallace Collection.

–The Wallace Collection has one of the most important holdings of Riesener furniture in the world. Online resources provide details about the furniture at the Wallace Collection, revealing secrets about Riesener’s working methods, materials and techniques, as well as his life and his work for the royal French court.

–The Wallace Collection presents Forgotten Masters: Indian Painting for the East India Company, guest curated by writer and historian William Dalrymple. Online visitors can explore, room-by-room, works by Indian master painters commissioned by East India Company officials in the late eighteenth and nineteenth-centuries.

The Wallace Collection
Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN
Website: https://www.wallacecollection.org/
Phone: +44 (0)207 563 9500
Email: enquiries@wallacecollection.org

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