THE WALLACE COLLECTION
This spring, Grayson Perry (b.1960), one of Britain’s most celebrated chroniclers of contemporary life, will mark his sixty-fifth birthday with a landmark exhibition at the Wallace Collection.
GRAYSON PERRY: DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR
28 MARCH–
26 OCTOBER 2025
Delusions of Grandeur will feature over 40 new works by the artist Grayson Perry and represent the largest contemporary exhibition ever held at the museum. This exhibition will include ceramics, tapestries, works on paper, as well as others displayed amongst some of the Wallace Collection’s masterpieces which helped inspire and shape Perry’s vision.
Although Perry has often spoken of his childhood fascination with the Portrait of Madame de Pompadour by François Boucher (1703–1770), many other works in the Collection have inspired him throughout his life, including a superb group of English miniatures and an early eighteenth-century bronze of Mezzetin, soulfully strumming his guitar. Even pieces from the Wallace Collection’s world-famous collection of Armour influenced the artist. In Delusions of Grandeur, these works and more will find themselves echoed in new pieces by Perry which will prompt conversations between the old and the new.
Considering such themes as identity and sexuality, the gendering of decoration, and the meaning of ‘home’, the display will transform traditional works such as ceramics and tapestries into provocative objects – their earthy familiarity amalgamated with the trappings of the past, and the realities of contemporary life. Woven throughout the show is the story and personality of Shirley Smith, a new character created by the artist. It is through her eyes that Perry approaches the aesthetic power of the Collection and considers the transformative and healing nature of art.
For Perry the show offers a moment of introspection, a chance to meditate on the implications of moving from the position of ‘outsider’ artist to an arena of commercial success. The art world as a whole is also under scrutiny, as is the future of traditional craftsmanship in an increasingly digital world.
Left
Grayson Perry, Untitled from a selection of drawings by Shirley Smith, 2022–24, 42 x 30 cm, 16 1/2 x 11 3/4 in (detail) ©️ Grayson Perry. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro
SHIRLEY SMITH, 1930–2013
I wander amongst my treasures like a living ghost
A twist of fate has torn it all away from me I wait and long for the day when everyone realises I am she.
– From a poem by Shirley Smith
Looking more closely at the Collection for his exhibition, Perry realised that his relationship with Hertford House was complex. While he loved the ‘idea’ of the Collection, he needed to be wholly dedicated to it and the art within.
Shirley Smith is an imagined character shaped by the lives of real women, including the artists Madge Gill (1882–1961) and Aloïse Blanche Corbaz (1886–1964). Following a mental health crisis, she fashions herself a new identity as ‘The Honourable Millicent Wallace’, and believes herself to be the heir to Sir Richard Wallace and the rightful owner of his collection. Dressed in eccentric, old fashioned clothing, she seeks solace within the museum’s galleries, drawing, sewing, and writing letters to the Director to inform him of her sorry predicament. Inspired by her lost inheritance, Shirley begins to create artwork of her own. Soon her council flat in East London is filled with the trappings of her imagined home, complete with ancestral portraits and ‘Old Master’ paintings.
GRAYSON PERRY
Born in Chelmsford, Essex, in 1960, Perry established his reputation as one of Britain’s most intriguing contemporary artists through his melding of conventional mediums such as pottery and tapestry with vivid, strikingly modern imagery. A gifted storyteller, he crafts intricate narratives around gender, class, and modern life.
In 1978–79 Perry studied at Braintree College of Further Education. In 1982 he graduated from Portsmouth Polytechnic, where, as part of a piece of performance art, he awarded himself his first art prize for a large papiermâché head. Since then he has gone on to collect many prestigious accolades, including the Turner Prize in 2003.
In late 2024 the Wallace Collection relaunched its membership scheme. For the first time, new Members and existing supporters will be able to pre-book tickets and access the exhibition during our Members-only days on 26 and 27 March 2025.
To book your tickets, head to our website: wallacecollection.org
“Grayson Perry is an artist who engages with the world like no other. His work resonates deeply with the viewer – questioning, provoking, and reflecting contemporary society from the sublime to the absurd. It has been a privilege to work with him on this exhibition. Our time together has given me a new lens through which to view the Collection, and I cannot wait to share the vision with the public.”
Xavier Bray, Director
Above Perry has taken inspiration from various parts of the Collection, including the Arms and Armour galleries. Kulah Khud 19th century (detail) (OA1523) Left
Grayson Perry, The Great Beauty, 2024 (detail) ©️ Grayson Perry, Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro
ARMOUR, CENTAURS AND QUEEN VICTORIA: THE WALLACE COLLECTION’S SEND PROGRAMME
The Wallace Collection has long been committed to enabling visitors of all ages to engage with art and culture, both at the museum and in the local community. For children with special educational needs and disabilities, our dedicated programme provides a relaxed, supportive platform for interaction with some of the Wallace Collection’s most exciting artworks.
Due to concerns relating to travel, physical access and a potential lack of appropriate provision, visits to cultural venues can often pose challenges to SEND (Special Educational Needs and disabilities) schools. The Wallace Collection, with its historic galleries and fragile objects on open display, can be a particularly difficult environment to navigate. Driven by a desire for our museum to be truly inclusive, we were determined to improve on our existing programme to ensure that the Collection can be truly open to all.
Over the past three years our talented Learning Team has worked with a range of freelance artists, consultants, and the wider museum team to deliver creative workshops, work placements, and innovative new resources designed for SEND pupils. Through their creativity and dedication, and the generous support of John Lyon’s Charity, we are proud to announce that our schools programme now includes a year-round calendar of SEND-specific sessions. Covering eight London boroughs, these tailored workshops now make up 15% of our total offering for schools, bringing us in line with the national proportion of pupils with SEND in the state sector.
I cannot tell you how much they loved it and how much they loved you! Wow! I have never seen a happier class on a Friday afternoon. They were just ‘bubbling’ with knowledge and enthusiasm about armour! – Teacher after a Discovering Armour outreach session
Thanks to John Lyon’s Charity’s renewed support over the next five years, we are thrilled to be able to continue to expand the programme, building upon its successes and continuously learning how we can make the Collection a welcoming space for all.
In summer 2024, Alison Smith joined the Wallace Collection from the National Portrait Gallery as Director of Collections and Research. We sat down to get to know her and what this new role on the Senior Management team encompasses.
MEET OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF COLLECTIONS AND RESEARCH, ALISON SMITH
Where did you work before the Wallace Collection?
Up until June 2024, I was Chief Curator at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG), where I spent seven intense but fulfilling years working on the ‘Inspiring People’ renovation project. This involved a complete rehang and re-presentation of the collection, from the Plantagenets to the contemporary. During my time at the Gallery I worked on many exhibitions, displays and acquisitions, one highlight being the purchase of Joshua Reynolds’ portrait of Mai, one of the first Polynesian travellers to Britain –the most expensive acquisition in the Gallery’s history.
Before joining the NPG in 2017, I spent eighteen years at Tate Britain. Working on exhibitions at the Tate took me all over the world, creating shows internationally such as Turner, Whistler, Monet and Artist and Empire It was an exciting time to be working with British art as we sought to place the collection in a more global context.
Although the Wallace Collection is in theory a more static museum in that it does not acquire works, I have certainly not found life here any less demanding than at the larger nationals – far from it, in fact. Our collections are much more diverse, and our displays denser and more elaborate than at other museums where I have worked. This means that conservation, research and exhibition programming all present very demanding challenges.
Left Govaert Flinck, A Young Archer
c.1639–c.1640 (P238) Above Dr Alison Smith
Carla van de Puttelaar
What was the highlight of your time at the NPG?
That has to be the moment when we welcomed the public back after being closed for three years from 2020. Following years of careful planning, consultation, building, decorating, reinterpreting and rehanging, the Gallery finally reopened in June 2023. I have to confess I had become quite used to wandering through empty galleries, once the building had been handed back to the Gallery for reinstallation by the building contractor, so that it was quite a shock when the visitors poured in. The opening party was one of those unforgettable occasions when everyone present was intent on enjoying themselves and on celebrating all the hard work that had gone into making the transformation possible.
Much of your work at Tate focused on the art of the nineteenth century. What is it about this period that holds your interest?
I guess I am fascinated by the obsessive, hyper-real aspects of much Victorian art. That’s why I love the early work of the Pre-Raphaelite artists John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt, where you find this intensity of vision that led them to create so many brilliantly quirky and touching details. With a technologically driven culture, the Victorians were intrigued by materials and processes: you see all these new blingy synthetic colours, endless innovations in reproducing prints and sculpture, and of course photography which goes on to interact so creatively with all the other media.
What are you looking forward to the most when it comes to working at the Wallace?
Apart from getting to know the history of the Collection, I am looking forward to learning more about those areas with which I am unfamiliar, such as arms and armour and the decorative arts. Having spent many years looking after British art at Tate Britain and more recently the NPG, it is refreshing to engage with European art again as well as with objects from beyond Western Europe such as the Mughal swords and Asante gold. I am also looking forward to working with colleagues in different departments to help shape the exhibition and displays programme, not to mention the ambitious plans we have for the future of the whole institution.
And what do you see as a future challenge?
I think the lack of interpretation and visitor orientation are the main obstacles to public engagement. The challenge is how to inform visitors about the history of the Wallace and its collections without lecturing them, and how best to direct them around the museum without making them feel bossed about. We want to retain the aesthetic look and feel of the different rooms, but this means restricting the space available to interpret the works, which is a pity as there are so many interesting stories to tell. But how to introduce context without disturbing the density and splendour of the displays? I am confident that we will find solutions, however, and am pleased to report that there are already plans in the pipeline.
What is your favourite piece in the Wallace Collection?
I am often asked this question and always try to deflect it, as my choice changes according to my mood or what engages my interest at a particular moment. However, if pushed I would probably choose a work I would like to live with and gaze at whatever mood I was in. In which case, I would go for A Young Archer by Govaert Flinck, as it’s such a mysterious work: we don’t know who the sitter is, their history, and what they might be thinking – whether their expression is sad or just self-contained and reflective.
What are your hobbies, and how do you relax?
When I’m not looking at or thinking about art, I enjoy walking in the countryside and around London, seeking out its lost history. I love reading and watching films and hanging out with friends and family. I spend a lot of my leisure time in combat with mice.
Dr Xavier Bray and Dr Alison Smith for an exploration of the landscapes and gardens that inspired many of Winston Churchill’s paintings. During our stay, we will also discover some of
Acquired in 1820 by Francis Charles Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford, Pieter Neeffs the Elder’s Interior of Antwerp Cathedral is consequently one of the oldest components of what is now the Wallace Collection. Until recently, however, its longstanding presence had never granted it the attention it deserved. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we have finally been able to send this masterpiece of architectural perspective to conservation.
LIGHT AND SHADOWS PIETER NEEFFS THE ELDER
(1578–1656)
Pieter Neeffs the Edler remains a relatively undocumented artist. He was probably born in Antwerp, where his family lived in the late sixteenth century, and his first archival trace comes with his enrolment as a master painter in Antwerp’s Guild of St Luke in 1609–10. In turn, his earliest recorded work is the 1605 Interior of a Gothic Church, exhibited at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden. Neeffs’s composition style is already very recognisable, even in this very early work. Neeffs was the patriarch of a dynasty that saw him and two of his sons (Ludovicus and Pieter Neeffs the Younger) specialise in the popular genre of architectural paintings of Antwerp church interiors.
Such images were not isolated products of a personal style, but widely produced decorative objects aimed at public markets and a socially diverse spectatorship. The production process split the painting of the architecture from that of the figures, mobilising two specialised painters. These paintings, and notably those by Neeffs, often functioned as perspective exercises where the true dimensions of a church’s interior were distorted to favour straight lines, leading to an exaggeratedly deep vanishing point.
Interior of Antwerp Catherdral from 1648, depicts Antwerp’s cathedral. The building’s construction started in 1352 but the nave and aisles were only roofed in 1611–16, so Neeffs’s depiction presents a setting relatively contemporary to the figures it hosts. Yet, as linear as the treatment of the church is, the image remains highly imaginative in comparison to its documented dimensions: the walls are heightened and the nave’s width expanded.
Left
Detail of the painting mid-treatment, Pieter Neeffs the Elder, Interior of Antwerp Cathedral, c. 1648 (P152)
An integral part of this perspectival play is the particular effects that the depiction of natural light as sieved through the medieval Flemish stained glass had on emphasising or hiding architectural features. In the case of P152, the thick, darkened varnish had diminished these effects, and strongly limited our appreciation of Neeffs’s skills. The conservation project has particularly focused on removing this discoloured varnish in search of these effects of light and shadow, especially on the lavish ornaments and sculptures adorning the architectural surfaces. As you can see in the image, this process has already provided a glimpse of the view the cleaned painting should offer. In addition, we have found that the scene was painted on two Baltic oak boards, and we are hoping to create a new curved rebate to ensure its integrity.
This process has also allowed us better to discern the figures populating the church and to appreciate the collaboration of two master painters. The figures populating the panel are from a different hand. While the second artist is not documented, Neeffs is known to have worked closely with the specialist figure painter Frans Francken the Younger. The removal of the varnish has heightened the gold of the dress of the lady in the centre left, and magnified the red of the man beside the priest. The improved visibility of the figures should also allow for a renewed study of religious life in the South Netherlands. As decorative as this genre of painting may originally have been, it also documents the varying religious practices of a country notably split between a Protestant North and Catholic South.
In the case of Neeffs’s painting, the figures offer a sample of the varied Catholic classes making up the town. The national trend of depicting large, more unified groups of churchgoers listening to sermons, appears in contrast with this more varied population of figures attending mass found in representations of Antwerp. Church furniture, such as the altarpiece of the Crucifixion on the left, also reminded observers of the role Catholic architecture played in teaching the faithful. Once the conservation project is completed, Neeffs’s Interior of Antwerp Cathedral should function as a critical source for the study of the social and practical use of churches in seventeenth-century Antwerp.
When the painting returns to the Wallace Collection, it will be display in the East Drawing Room which is dedicated to painters with a close association to Antwerp, such as Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck and David Teniers the Younger.
We are grateful to the Belgian Chamber of Commerce, the McCorquodale Charitable Trust, Allison and Quaid Childers, the Excel Fund, Mary Beth and Jeff Anton Hewett, and everyone who generously donated to support the treatment and research into this painting.
Left Detail of the painting after the removal of the varnish.
Opposite Pieter Neeffs the Elder, Interior of a Gothic Church, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden
A NEW GENERATION OF CURATORIAL EXPERTISE: ALISHA O’BRIEN-COKER, CURATORIAL ADMINISTRATOR
We sat down with Alisha O’Brien-Coker to discuss her time at the Wallace Collection, and to gain a new perspective on a decidedly period collection.
Could you please tell us about your background and what drew you to a career in museums?
I studied a History MA at the University of Edinburgh and graduated in 2023 with First Class Honours. Naturally as a history student you are drawn to museums in your spare time – engaging with collections and the many stories they tell. However, during my final year at University I had an incredible professor (Dr Rochelle Rowe!) who introduced me to the notion that museums are not necessarily objective storytellers. I took her course called ‘Representations of Blackness in 19th-century art and popular culture’, and wrote a paper investigating and critiquing the historical role of museums in perpetuating certain narratives. From then on I became invested in museums and their role in our modern culture.
I started my time at the Wallace Collection as a part-time gallery attendant. My aim was just to get back into my London life, earn a little income, and immerse myself in the cultural activities the museum had to offer. I had no idea of the journey that was to come!
Could you describe a typical day in your role? Were there any particular highlights? Honestly, each day was different! Usually my mornings entailed a gallery check. I would walk around and keep an eye out for anything that needed mentioning to our Building and Facilities team. This was always quite a peaceful activity, as I would do it before opening hours. It gave me a nice opportunity to meditate on some of my favourite works.
I would then open my various inboxes and begin responding to public queries. My main task for the day would be writing captions for the highlight objects in each gallery. You would usually find me digging deep into object files or scouring the upper offices for books. This was particularly rewarding, as I was able to gain a more in-depth understanding of works beyond my own initial interests. For example, it was a pleasure to work alongside Decorative Arts Curator Alexander Collins and discover the history of French gilding and furniture-making. I will never look at a writing desk in the same way again!
During your time at the Wallace you have shed light on subjects that had previously been overlooked. Can you tell us more about the importance of open discussion in enabling us to engage with our history from new perspectives?
I can’t think of a more important role for museums than opening these discussions to the public. I think it is one thing to come to a gallery/museum and enjoy the works for their aesthetic purpose, but it is a whole other matter to interrogate exactly what these objects reveal about our collective history. Museums have a huge responsibility when it comes to addressing more contentious aspects of their collection or heritage, and as I said before, it is important to recognise that they are not neutral spaces, much as we might wish they were. From the language used in captions to the ways in which objects are displayed, it all plays a part in determining how the visitor interprets a work of art. What I have hoped to do is to encourage alternative ways of looking at things and to draw out stories that are not only fascinating but necessary to place the object in the context of its time. I consider it a matter of academic diligence and respect for those whose histories have been lost for so long.
Last year, the Wallace Collection’s free display, Flora Yukhnovich and François Boucher: The Language of the Rococo brought the French eighteenth century into conversation with the world of contemporary art. As a curator of modern art, could you see yourself exploring these kinds of connections?
Absolutely! My ultimate goal and interest when it comes to curation are to see the ways in which historical and contemporary art interact with each other. Contemporary art is ever evolving, and can be a powerful statement of reclamation in some instances. For example, Barbara Walker’s work is particularly striking, as she provides us with an uncanny interpretation of renowned Classical works. Contemporary art can appear less intimidating, and the art world can be opened to a variety of people from all backgrounds. The sky is the limit!
Now that your secondment at the Wallace Collection has come to an end, what is the next step for you?
I will be beginning my position as a Curatorial Fellow with the New Curators. It is a twelve-month paid curatorial traineeship run by Curators Kerryn Greenberg and Mark Godfrey from Tate Modern. During the year, I will be taking part in academic seminars, visiting galleries across the UK, and setting up an exhibition alongside my colleagues! It is an innovative and exciting programme that is currently in its second year, and I am incredibly optimistic. While this is going on, I am also keen to maintain my relationship with the Wallace Collection, which has offered me so much. Who knows, I may be back to give a talk at some point. Whatever comes next, I am just grateful to spend another year in a field that I love so much.
Left
Alisha O’Brien-Coker in the East Galleries
Opposite
A painting discussed during one of Alisha’s talks on representation in art.
Jan van der Heyden, View of the Westerkerk, Amsterdam, c.1668-72 (P225)
MEMBERS GET MORE WALLACE RECOMMENDS
Canaletto and Guardi: Views of Venice
Over the course of his long and prolific career, Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto, produced such convincing portrayals of Venice’s most famous sites that he would go on to shape the collective imagination of the city for decades to come. The remarkable sense of space represented within his works would also lead to the creation of an entirely new artistic genre inspired by Venice’s unique topography, the veduta
With paintings by Canaletto and his contemporary Francesco Guardi, the Wallace Collection possesses one of the greatest veduta collections in the country. The Views of Venice project saw the cataloguing of the museum’s twenty-eight Italian topographical views by Canaletto and his followers. With the collaboration of Canaletto scholar Charles Beddington, the findings of this new research will be preserved for posterity in Canaletto and Guardi: Views of Venice a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated catalogue, set to be released in February 2024.
We are grateful for the generous support of all those who made this publication possible.
Pick up your copy in the Wallace Collection giftshop, and take advantage of our extensive gift and book selections. Members get 10% off all items in-store or via the website for home delivery.
31 Jan 2025: Boulle International Conference Taking place on 31 January 2025, the conference will consider André-Charles Boulle’s designs, techniques, and legacy within the splendour of Hertford House, the very same building where some of his greatest artistic achievements can be found. Alongside contributions from Xavier Bray, Director, Alexander Collins, Curator of Decorative Arts, and Jürgen Huber, Senior Furniture Conservator, speakers will include an international panel of master cabinetmakers and conservators as well as experts in European decorative arts such as Mathieu Deldicque, Director of Château de Chantilly and Mia Jackson, Curator of Decorative Arts at Waddesdon Manor. Building on the momentum of the Musée Condé’s recent exhibition and the display at the Wallace Collection, we hope that this major conference will trigger a renewed interest in Boulle’s incredible legacy in the English-speaking world.
Six of the presentations will be written up as articles for our Boulle microsite. Accompanying our existing pages on the furniture of Jean-Henri Riesener and the paintings of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the new microsite will provide
a free and permanent platform for visitors to explore Boulle’s world in greater depth and to engage with the conference’s findings beyond the day itself. The conference will be hosted at the Wallace Collection and will be live-streamed. This format will allow international academics and enthusiasts to attend, either on-site or remotely.
To book your ticket, head to our website wallacecollection.org/whats-on/events
For more Boulle related content, do also visit our free display Keeping Time: Clocks by Boulle until 2 March 2025.
The Wallace Collection is delighted to introduce our new and improved membership scheme.
Since its launch in 2014, the Wallace Collection membership scheme has provided invaluable support for the preservation of this unique collection, while offering exclusive benefits to our members. After 10 years, we are delighted to present the future of membership with the Wallace Collection.
In November, the new and improved membership scheme was launched. Having taken on board the feedback we have received, we are delighted to offer a ‘plus guest membership’ with the option to invite a friend to Members’ events and exhibitions. New perks will also include early access to booking for all upcoming exhibitions as well as two members-only private views ahead of the official opening.
As always, Members of the Wallace Collection will enjoy free unlimited entry to all exhibitions, exclusive access to Members’ events, including curator-led tours and our annual talk, as well as discounts in our restaurant and shop. Members-only days for Grayson Perry are 26 and 27 March. Book your free tickets from the Members’ Area.
Our members play a vital role in helping us to continue the legacy of Sir Richard and Lady Wallace, whose remarkable bequest has enabled generations of visitors to access one of the finest family collections in the world. Through your generosity, we are able to keep the Wallace Collection free to all whilst staging exciting, new exhibitions, sparking conversations between the old and the new.
From all of us at the museum, a huge thank you for your support!
