Upton House, Warwickshire - Art Collection

Art Collection

Perhaps uniquely among country houses owned by the National Trust, its significance lies principally in its art collection. The house is presented more as an art gallery than as a private home, although care has been taken to restore the house to how it looked in the 1930s. It contains a unique art deco bathroom and a collection of early Shell advertising posters, together with some of their original artwork, by such artists as Rex Whistler.

The collection was assembled by Lord Bearsted, helped by his being a Trustee of the National Gallery. Lord Bearsted's sister Nellie Inonides also became an avid collector. The collection at Upton includes English and Continental old masters: Tiepolo, Anthony Devis, Francesco Guardi, Jan Steen, Melchior de Hondecoeter, Thomas Gainsborough, Joshua Reynolds, Tintoretto and Rogier van der Weyden.

Highlights of the collection include:

• The Duet or "Le corset blue" (mid 1660s) by Gabriel Metsu
• Self Portrait of the Artist Engraving (1783) by Richard Morton Paye
• William Beckford (1782) by George Romney (purchased by 1st Viscount Bearstead in the mistaken belief it was Beckford's father)
• The Interior of the Church of St. Catherine, Utrecht (1655–1660) by Pieter Jansz. Saenredam
• Martin Rize (1612) by Frans Pourbus
• Adoration of the Kings (c. 1495), a tryptych by Hieronymous Bosch (a version of which is held by The Prado in Madrid)
• Bacino di San Marco, Venice (c. 1725–26) by Canaletto
• The Death of the Virgin (1564) (grisaille) and The Massacre of the Innocents by Pieter Bruegel the Elder
• Morning and Night, two of the Four Times of the Day (c. 1736), by William Hogarth
• The Labourers (1779), The Haymakers (1783) and The Reapers (1783) by George Stubbs
• The Disrobing of Christ (El Espolio) by El Greco (c. 1579) (purchased by Viscount Bearstead in July 1938 for the sum of £5,000)

There is also a collection of English fine porcelain, including Chelsea, Derby, Bow and Worcester, as well as some French Sèvres.