Is it an art gallery, or is it a private home? When Walter Samuel, 2nd Viscount Bearsted, bought and renovated Upton House in the 1920s he was aiming for a wonderfully unique combination of both these things; his very own art gallery set in a country house.
Family, friends and colleagues from the art world were invited by Lord and Lady Bearsted to enjoy the surrounding Warwickshire countryside, but also to enjoy the privilege of a personal tour of one of the most important art collections created in the twentieth century.
These days Upton House sees many thousands of visitors pass through its doors. A one to one tour of the painting collection may not possible, but we want to continue this legacy of a home and collection made to enjoy, and to interact with.
The question is: to label, or not to label? Over the coming months Upton will be exploring the use of picture labels to invite visitors to engage with the painting collection in different ways. But, what sort of information should be included? What should the labels look like? Who should write them and whose perspective should they reflect? Should they be serious and scholarly, or can we have some fun?
We’ll be experimenting with all these aspects of labelling our pictures and inviting your feedback. The first set of labels are currently on display and have been written by Jenny Lister, Curator of Fashion and Textiles at the V&A Museum, London. Each of the images selected by Lister are detailed below, or look out for them as you walk around the house and let us know what you think.