A Super Presentation about a Superb Art Collection

There was a huge turnout for the February edition of the social get-together “In the Ballroom’ on Wednesday 13th. The Talk this month was about the story behind the Wallace Art Collection assembled by the Marquesses of Hertford whose family seat is at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire. The collection was inherited by the 4th Marquess’s illegitimate son Sir Richard Wallace, whose widow bequeathed the entire collection to the nation.

The excellent presentation was by Ann O’Flanagan who had been a guide at the collection in Hertford House, London, before she moved to Warwick.  She told tales of dissolute aristocrats, mistresses, illegitimacy and Richard Wallace who in her view he was ‘the best of the lot’.  The superb collection he assembled, including paintings by Old Masters, furniture, porcelain and armour, fills thirty galleries and is well worth a visit.  

The talk was followed by the usual tea, coffee and fine cake, and this time there were slices of birthday cake. One of the regular guests, Tony, was celebrating his 80th birthday. 

Then it was quiz time, with 20 questions about art and artists devised by Helen. Two couples got all the questions right! Here are a few pictures from the afternoon:

‘In the Ballroom’ takes place at the Jury Street Court House on the second Wednesday of every month from 2pm to 4pm. It costs just £2 including the tea, and there’s no need to book. Just turn up and perhaps make some new friends.

The next edition on March 13th will feature an illustrated talk by local historian Trevor Langley called ‘If Walls could Talk – stories from Warwick’s past’.