27 June 2015 - The Wallace Collection

After researching when St Augustine's Church, Kilburn, would be open we discovered that it is open on Saturday mornings so we thought we would go and look as it was listed as "London's Cathedral of the North".  It so happened that today the church fare was being held there so we walked into a noisy fun atmosphere where we enjoyed good old fashioned community spirit, second hand books, coffee and tea and home baking as well as access to the church and a guided tour of the beautiful Gothic building which was built in 1880.

St Augustine's Church - St Michael's chapel

 The church is a "high" Church of England gravitating towards Roman Catholicism with chapels of St Michael and Our Lady flanking the main area.  The marble tiles on the floor reminded me of beautiful patchwork quilts in their design and colours.  The frescoes, both Old and New Testament scenes, and stained glass were magnificent.  The high arches were indeed Gothic and similar to others we have seen.  Apparently there is a choir each Sunday and a huge pipe organ. The member of the congregation who was our tour guide gave us plenty of time to ask questions and was really informative...and that was just the beginning of our day exploring!

The wedding at Cana - water into wine

Beautiful fresco

Stained glass windows

Marble carved pulpit

Nativity fresco

Marble mosaic - like patch work quilts!

Amazing, all from naturally occurring stone!

Looking toward the altar

In one word: Grand!

Who'd believe we were in the heart of London when it looks like a country church fair?!

One of the bell towers

Pushing through the Pride March

My Dad had told me about the Wallace Collection and we were keen to see it.  We walked to Manchester Square, not far from Baker Street which was about 5 kms but we were used to walking so we hardly noticed!  There were road blocks and all sorts of noise and cheering ahead of us as we turned towards Baker Street and we had inadvertently stumbled across the gathering crowd at the Pride March - rainbow colours everywhere and lots of merriment.  We walked through the crowd, found Manchester Square and sat in the grounds for our snack and then entered the gallery.

Hertford House, home of the Wallace Collection

Hertford House, The Wallace Collection

So very posh!

The Music Party - Watteau

Mantel clock

 Wow!  The Wallace Collection is a unique art collection comprising paintings, ceramics, furniture and even an armoury, displayed in Hertford House.  It was a private collection of  the 4th Marquess of Hertford, who left it to his illegitimate son, sir Richard Wallace, whose widow then bequeathed the whole collection to the nation with the condition that no object ever leave the collection, even for loan exhibitions! So, what we were privileged to see today, can only be seen at Hertford House.  What made this magnificent display even better was the fact it was exhibited in the glamorous house with its beautifully rich decor,, exquisite curtains and perfect light.  We saw Flemish and Dutch Masters, Rubens and Rembrandts and many others.  The miniatures were hidden under leather curtains and superbly preserved and then there were Limoges Enamels and Italian Glass, the shields and suits of armour and also French furniture.  Candy for the senses!  This collection along with the V and A Museum are my favourite art galleries in London and are free! 

East Drawing Room

The Good Samaritan - Rembrandt

Self Portrait - Rembrandt

The Artist's son - Rembrandt

Merryment in a tavern - Jan Steen

The Alchemist - Jan Steen

The Harpsicord Lesson - Jan Steen

 I loved the depiction of daily life, in particular the Jan Steen paintings, known for chaos and reality of life in those times.  They really capture a "fly on the wall" moment in time.

Luke was checking out all the animal feet on the base of cabinets.  He found lion's, goat's and possibly cow's feet on the 18th Century French cabinets.

French chest of drawers - 1710 - note lion's feet!

Perseus and Andromeda - Velazquez

The virgin in glory with saints adoring - Murillo

Don Baltasse - Velazquez

Mary and Elizabeth - Rubens

The Rainbow Landscape - Rubens

Portrait - Prud'hon

West Gallery

West Gallery II

Miniatures

A stately place, looking to courtyard

Another drawing room

More clocks showing Roman IIII

Clock I in Study

Clock II in Study - French 1725

24 Stations of the Cross - exquisite Limoges Enamel

Limoges Painted Enamel platter

Italian Maiolica - Renaissance Tin-Glazed Ceramics

3 Galleries of armour!  Luke was enthralled

Glad to see some horse armour

Note unicorn spike on this one!

Shepherd's Dog - Bonheur

 We set off homeward bound to the loud music of the Pride March which was in full swing.  Some of the costumes were extraordinary and rather risque...need I say more.  The images may never leave me!

Pride March

Just casually on a wall in Baker Street!

 Baker Street, made famous by the fictitious Sherlock Holmes and his residence at 221B, had quite a queue lined up for the museum there.  We have grown accustomed to the crowds on the streets but it is hard work walking on the pavements in London at times dodging people and traffic.  Our journey home took us past Lords Cricket Ground and the Abbey Road (Beatles) crossing (again - more tourists today!) and finally back to Kilburn.

Outside Lord's Cricket Ground

Take away chicken and salad for dinner and a family movie: "Blank Cheque".  We probably clocked up about 12 kms today so, I for one, am ready to sit!