FLORAL ART FOR FREE: THE WALLACE COLLECTION
Words by Jessica Peace
25 galleries filled with snuff boxes, tea sets, master painters and Marie Antoinette’s old furniture...
GOING DUTCH
‘FLOWERS IN A VASE’ AND ‘FRUIT AND FLOWERS’, JAN VAN HUYSUM, 1726 (EAST GALLERIES II).
© The Wallace Collection
Plant painting hero Huysum banged out pictures of posies in Amsterdam for most of his life; his earliest painting dating back to 1706 - he was just 7 years old. Huysum famously told a patron she’d have to wait another year for her finished piece as he’d missed the blossoming of the yellow rose he wanted - he had to paint straight from nature, no faking it.
‘MADAME DE POMPADOUR’, FRANÇOIS BOUCHER, 1759 (OVAL DRAWING ROOM).
© The Wallace Collection
Madame de Pompadour or ‘the uncrowned queen’ was mistress to Louis XV; Boucher positions her against the backdrop of gentle nature to indicate the honesty of her relationship with the king.
POSH POT-POURRI
In many a rococo room sits a pot of pot-pourri; petals were plucked from the ‘Orangery’ and tossed in pots ready to disguise any unwanted 18th century stink.
POT YOUR OWN POT-POURRI
Collect your petals
Mix up 20 drops of essential oil to a tablespoon of water
Mix solution with petals
Bang them in the oven for a couple of hours on a low heat - you want them hard not burnt
TEA TIME
© The Wallace Collection
There are plates, jugs, cups and saucers here dating from the early 1600’s. This particular floral set fits the style of husband and wife team Vincent and Geneviève Taillandier who potted and painted together in the late 1700’s.
GOING ROCOCO
Wallace’s family gaff is stuffed full of ‘rococo’ - oh the wall paper! The seat covers! But what is it? Well, think more Llewelyn-Bowen than Ikea; from frames to frills and knobs to knockers; mixing nature with artifice, ‘rococo’ comes from the French term for rocks or broken shells. The leaf you’ll see all over the rococo home is the ‘Acanthus’ or ‘Bear's Breeches’.
GROWING ROCOCO
Acanthus mollis
RATING
All too easy
THE DEETS
This sprawling wonder will make itself at home in most soils and situations with a bit of sunshine - no soggy bottoms.
DON’T FORGET THE FRAGONARD…
‘THE SWING’ (LES HAZARDS HEUREUX DE L'ESCARPOLETTE), JEAN-HONORÉ FRAGONARD, 1767 - 1768 (OVAL DRAWING ROOM).
© The Wallace Collection
… say no more
LET ME IN?
Open daily 10am - 5pm.
HOW DO I GET HERE?
Stones throw from Oxford Street
HOW MUCH?
Permanent collections are free as the wind