In 1799 the family of Sir Robert Walpole sold his remarkable art collection to Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. More than two centuries later these masterpieces, rarely seen outside Russia since that time, are returning to Houghton Hall. This handsome book illustrates these superlative works hanging once again in these magnificent interiors.
Thierry Morel uncovers the wonders of Walpole's collection, which includes paintings by Van Dyck, Poussin, Rubens and Rembrandt tracing its journey to the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.
Other essays explore Walpole's artistic tastes and collecting habits, and his beautiful house, one of the