On view now at the splendid Basildon Park in West Berkshire, United Kingdom, is an impressive exhibition featuring Old Masters, 20th-century engravings, and paintings of the Grand Tour.
Selected works from the outstanding collection of Sir Brinsley Ford are on view at West Berkshire’s Basildon Park this fall from November 2. Patrons will have plenty of time to schedule their visits, as Augustine Ford has offered the collection to the National Trust on long-term loan. Via the venue’s website: “[The loan] is his share of his father, Sir Brinsley Ford’s considerable and highly respected collection and includes important works of art from Tiepolo to Augustus John. The collection complements the existing works of art at Basildon Park collected by Lord and Lady Iliffe.
“The Iliffes rescued the country estate from ruin in the 1950s and restored the 18th-century house, filling it with fine furniture, paintings, and fabrics. Visitors have long enjoyed gazing on the rich and varied collection of baroque and rococo pictures at Basildon Park, including a portrait by Batoni and a major work by Madam Valleyer-Coster.
The site continues, “Sir Brinsley’s collection adds an extra dimension along similar themes. He was collecting art at the same time as the Iliffes. They shared a taste for Old Master paintings, paintings of the Grand Tour, and the 20th century post-war period. They even used the same auction houses and art dealers such as Colnaghi’s and Agnew’s.
“Like the Iliffes, Sir Brinsley was generous in sharing his works of art with the public. He once said: ‘The pleasure of owning a collection, and sharing it with others, fully compensates for the burdens that it entails.’”
“At Home with Art: Treasures of the Ford Collection” opened on November 2.
To learn more, visit Basildon Park.
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