Apsley House embarks on a major rehang of the 1st Duke of Wellington’s (1769-1852) collection of Dutch paintings.
In 2025, Apsley House will embark on a major rehang of the 1st Duke of Wellington’s (1769-1852) remarkable collection of Dutch paintings in the Piccadilly Drawing Room.
Featuring works by Nicolaes Maes (1634–1693), Pieter de Hooch (1629-1684) and Jan Steen (1626-1679), the paintings reveal an often-overlooked aspect of the Duke’s character and personality; that not only was he a brilliant military man, but also a discerning collector of fine art.
Shortly after his famous victory at the Battle of Waterloo, Wellington bought 21 Dutch paintings from sales in Paris with the intention of growing his collection of Old Masters. Using his agent Chevalier Féréol de Bonnemaison (1766-1827), a noted portrait painter, dealer and picture restorer, Wellington bought nine pictures at the April 1817 La Peyrière sale. In April 1818, Bonnemaison represented him at the Le Rouge sale, where he acquired twelve.
Although he employed an agent, Wellington selected what he liked at these sales. The paintings he acquired are all pre-eminent and reveal that he had an excellent eye. They were principally genre scenes - depictions of ordinary people doing everyday things – including masterpieces such as Nicholas Maes, The Eavesdropper (1650s), Peter de Hooch’s The Musical Party (c.1675) and Jan Steen’s The Egg Dance (1674) and The Wedding Party (1667). He also purchased landscapes and townscapes such as Van der Hayden’s Architectural Fantasy (1660s) and Ludolf Bakhuizen’s Soldiers of the Dutch East India Company embarking at the Montelbaans Tower, Amsterdam (1685).
Wellington’s pictures were some of the most masterful Dutch paintings to be seen in London during his lifetime. Their popularity was such that they were regularly requested for the British Institution’s annual exhibitions.
Today, these paintings are appreciated not only for their technical mastery but also for their layered meanings and the subtly incorporated moral or social commentaries on themes like love, temperance, and domestic virtue. Objects placed within the scenes often had symbolic significance, providing viewers with an ethical or reflective lens. For instance, oysters or wine glasses might allude to sensual indulgence, while musical instruments often suggested harmony or romantic desire.
The exhibition has been curated by Dr Teresa Posada Kubissa, Head of the Department of Dutch Painting at the Museo Nacional del Prado, until her retirement at the end of 2023.
Apsley House, 149 Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner, London, W1J 7NT
Opening Times
Saturday – Sunday 11:00 – 17:00
Monday – Friday - Closed