London Art Galleries: Courtauld Collection
Somerset House: Works by Cezanne, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh and others
Sep 6, 2008
Somerset House sits on the same site as the original Somerset House, an equally imposing palace built in 1547. Although most famous for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, the collection also includes works stretching from the early Renaissance into the 20th century
Somerset House
The origin of the Courtauld Collection began with the founding of the Courtauld Institute by Samuel Courtauld in 1931. He was a lover of paintings and his personal wealth enabled him to collect the finest. He bought the work of the French Impressionists and Cézanne and leased one of the finest Adam houses in London in which to display them - they were to remain there for nearly sixty years.
He wanted this to be a place where students could study art history in a setting of world-class paintings and fine architecture and the house was equipped with galleries which were open to the public.
A Permanent Home for the Courtauld Collection
The matter of finding a permanent home for the collection when the lease on 20 Portman Square ran out was not an easy task. It had become so large it was almost bursting at the seams and after much anxiety a permanent home was found for it at Somerset House. The relocation took almost ten years to carry out and a large sum of money was required to adapt Somerset House to its new function.
The greater amount of space at Somerset House allowed the collection to be displayed as it should be and this has made it one of the major tourist attractions of London.
The Courtauld Collection
The collection has had space in which to expand and the main collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist are not the only attraction - there are also works by Rubens, Bottecilli, Tiepolo, and Breughel. The highlights include Cranach’s Adam and Eve and Fra Angelico’s Man of Sorrows.
The collection also contains works from the early Renaissance to Modernist works of the 20th century, There are prints and drawings by Michelangelo, Dürer, Leonardo, Canaletto, van Gogh and Picasso as well as sculptures by Archipenko, Renoir, Rodin, Matisse, and others.
History of Somerset House
The Duke of Somerset, who built the 16th century original house, was executed in 1552 for the crime of treason and the house passed into the hands of the Crown. It was occupied by Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth I.
Over the years many Royals lived here and the building was used for all kinds of celebrations and weddings. Italian opera was performed here for the first time in England. However, this beautiful Tudor palace fell into disrepair in the 1700s and was eventually demolished c.1775 and the foundation stones for the new Somerset House were laid in 1776.
Somerset House Today
The current building is appropriately impressive and looks and feels like a palace with its great courtyard and elegant fountains, riverside terrace and magnificent collection of art and sculpture.
In 1836 it took a bit of an artistic nose dive when it became the depository of the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages. It seems a shame that it was open only for the inspection of official documents right up until 1973, but it is once again a thriving cultural centre and is the permanent home of the fabulous Courtauld Collection.
Outdoor Fun
The huge elegantly restored cobbled courtyard with its flowing fountains is a great place to sit on a summer day and watch the world go by, or keep an eye on your children as they frolic amongst the fountains. There are open-air concerts and movies and in the winter the courtyard is turned into London’s best skating rink.
The River Terrace has a café with views over the Thames
Somerset House, Strand, London WC2. Admission charge. Mondays are free.
Why Do People Go To Art Galleries?
 |
 |
 |
