The Wallace Collection

UPDATE: Added picture of the front of house.
On Tuesdays neither Claire nor I have class. Today we used this free time to visit the Wallace Collection, what was once the largest private collection of art in the world.

Established in 1897 from the private collection of Sir Richard Wallace, his widow bequeathed the entire collection to the nation. The museum opened to the public in 1900 in Hertford House, Manchester Square, and remains there, housed in its entirety, to this day. [Wikipedia]

About a ten minute walk from our flat, the benefactor's family house is now the museum with 24 galleries. I particularly enjoyed Canaletto's Venetian landscapes which are very similar to Francesco Guardi's I posted about earlier. Other highlights included Frans Hals' Laughing Cavalier, many intricate miniatures, one particular small statue, "Male Acrobat", was particularly pleasing. I couldn't take any pictures inside, but I do have a picture of the outside I will be posting once I download pictures, but for now it's off to bed for me!