|
Kenwood House is an architecturally important building containing a superb collection of Old Master paintings and major works by other artists.
There has been a substantial house on the Kenwood site since the early 17th century. However, the house did not come into its own until it was purchased by William Murray in the mid-1700s. Murray was a distinguished attorney who went on to become Lord Mansfield, the Lord Chief Justice. In his legal career, Lord Mansfield played an important role in the progress toward the abolition of slavery. Situated in what then was the outskirts of London, Lord Mansfield used Kenwood as a weekend retreat where he could entertain politicians, statesmen and even royalty including King George III. It was important that the house be impressive as well as useful. Therefore, Lord Mansfield turned to the most notable architect of the day, Robert Adam and his brother James. Robert Adam transformed both the exterior and the interior of the house. Kenwood is not a big mansion in comparison to some of the stately homes of England but Adam made it impressive by giving it an atmosphere of grandeur and beauty. He added Paladian elements to the exterior and incorporated neo-classical decoration in the interior. Much of Adam's work is visible and can be seen today. Kenwood remained the property of the successive Earls of Mansfield into the first half of the 20th century. However, the family preferred living at one of their other properties in Scotland and so Kenwood was rented out, most notably to Grand Duke Michael, the cousin of the last czar Nicholas II. In 1914, the 6th Earl of Mansfield made it known that he wished to sell Kenwood. Over the next decade, developers and preservationists made various proposals. Along the way, the contents of Kenwood were sold at auction. Eventually, Edward Cecil Guiness, First Earl of Iveagh, purchased the property through his family trust. Lord Iveagh was a member of the Guiness brewing family and was an avid collector of fine art. His plan was to refurbish Kenwood and donate the house and a selection of his paintings to the British nation. This plan was fulfilled after his death in 1927. Kenwood opened to the public in 1928. The goal was for Kenwood to be “a fine example of the artistic home of a gentleman of the eighteenth century.” Therefore, the 60 paintings included in the Iveagh bequest are works that a gentleman would have owned. They include works by old masters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer as well as works by the major names in English portraiture Van Dyck, Gainsbourgh, Reynolds, Romney, Raeburn and Lawrence. There are also works by Turner, Constable and other artists of that period. The number of major works presented is amazing. What is particularly nice about seeing these works at Kenwood is that they are hung as in a home rather than as in a museum. They are mixed in with furniture and decorative antiques within the restored Adam interiors. In short, they are presented the way the artists probably envisioned they would be seen. Over the years, additional collections have become part of Kenwood. In 1974, the 19th Countess of Suffolk gave the nation a group of paintings collected by the Howard family over some 300 years. The Suffolk Collection came to Kenwood in 2002 and features Tudor and Stuart portraits as well as a portrait of the 19th Countess by Sargent. Kenwood also has collections of miniatures and jewelry. If the treasures of Kenwood were not enough, there are visiting exhibitions of works from other collections managed by English Heritage. Lord Ivaegh's purchase of Kenwood included more than 70 acres of the grounds. The grounds still reflect the designs of the noted 18th century landscape architect Sir Humphrey Repton. The paths through Kenwood's woodlands blend seemlessly into Hamstead Heath, one of the largest green areas in London. There are monumental sculptures by Calder, Hepworth and Dodeigne in the grounds. For more information on visiting, see the English Heritage website. |
Above: The North Front and entrance to Kenwood House.
Below: The Library designed by Robert Adam. 
Above: The Music Room.
Below: The South Front. 
|
|
|
|
Places to see art - - London, England - - Kenwood House