HOUGHTON REVISITED with Suzanne Bravery

In 1779 the family of Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first Prime Minister, sold his remarkable art collection described at the time as 'worthy, in the opinion of all connoisseurs, of belonging to one of the greatest sovereigns' to Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. 

More than two centuries later, for six months in the Summer of 2013, these masterpieces returned for a once in a lifetime visit to Houghton Hall, Walpole's great country house in Norfolk.

This installation, based on detailed contemporary drawings, has parallels with the diverse re-imaginings of the Johnston collection in Melbourne. Except that this is the recreation of an interior on such a scale unusual in recent times. Walk into the rooms, enjoy highlights of the collection and hear about the house and its history.

Suzanne Bravery curated and managed house museums at the Historic Houses Trust of NSW (now Sydney Living Museums), including Elizabeth Bay House, Vaucluse House and Meroogal. She managed the Grainger Museum at the University of Melbourne and Head Curator, Australian Society and History since 1788 at the National Museum of Australia, Canberra. 

Suzanne’s  research interests include historic interiors, social history, and conservation housekeeping. This lecture was inspired by a visit to Houghton Hall, Norfolk, in the Attingham Study Week in 2013.

image caption: Paris Bordone (Italian, 1500-1571)
Venus, Flora, Mars and Cupid (Allegory), Italy, 1550's
Oil on canvas | 1080 x 1290 mm
collection of The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, ГЭ-163
Public Domain