Discover the house and collection at Upton

See the paintings as Lord Bearsted intended 

The paintings cover a considerable range of masterpieces from Bruegel and Guardi to Hogarth and Stubbs, as well as a number of English sporting pictures.

It reflects Walter Samuel's interests in that almost all the pictures at Upton are concerned with human beings and their relationship with each other, as well as with the world around them.  

Rare porcelain 

The porcelain is 18th-century soft-paste Sèvres and Chelsea. Of special historic and artistic interest is the coffee can and saucer, made to royal order for Catherine the Great of Russia and the rare complete 10-figure Chelsea set of Apollo and the Nine Muses. 

A legacy for us all to enjoy 

In the changed world after the Second World War, Walter Samuel, already in failing health, wanted to ensure that the collections and gardens he and his wife had created and loved were kept intact for others to enjoy for ever.

Gifted to the National Trust

He decided to gift Upton House, the garden and the collections to the National Trust. 

His generosity and philanthropy live on today every time visitors come to Upton House and enjoy the artwork he was so passionate about.

 

Discover the Canaletto  

Take a closer look at one of Canaletto's impressive pieces, which is part of the Upton House art collection.

Canaletto is considered the most famous view-painter of the Georgian period. He was well known for his Venetian landscapes and attention to detail. 

Giovanni Antonio Canal was born in 1697 in Venice. He was the son of Bernardo Canal, a successful painter of theatrical scenery. To distinguish himself from his father, he was given the nickname Canaletto, meaning 'a little canal'.  

Inspired by Venetian artists

Inspiration for Canaletto's early painting came from established Venetian artists such as Marco Ricci and Luca Carlevarjis.

During his early career, Canaletto was taken under the wing of Joseph Smith, a merchant banker with contacts who was an ideal agent for the young artist.

Joseph Smith commissions 

By the end of the 1720s, most of Canaletto's paintings were commissioned through Smith. Smith also collected Canaletto’s work and commissioned him to paint six large views around San Marco and the Piazzetta to be displayed in his palace.

In addition, the collection had a series of 12 smaller views on the Grand Canal. These paintings were the most important pieces of Canaletto’s career. 

Smith's paintings sold

In 1762, Smith was forced to part with his beloved Canaletto collection consisting of 50 paintings and 140 drawings. He sold them to George III who paid a staggering £20,000 for the collection. They were purchased to furnish the newly bought Buckingham House (later palace).

In the 1830s, the collection was moved to Windsor Castle where it has remained ever since. 

 

The Interior of the Church of St. Catherine, Utrecht by Saenredam (1597-1665)

One of the striking pictures on display in the Long Gallery is by Saenredam. He was considered to be the first accurate painter of Dutch church interiors. Mostly painting views of the great whitewashed Gothic churches of Haarlem, where he lived and worked, and Utrecht, to which he paid an extensive visit, drawing all its church interiors in 1636. These churches are often little changed today. His surviving drawings were used as detailed studies for his paintings, often many years later and were frequently inscribed with the exact hour and day they were made.

Saenredam went to considerable trouble in his drawings to depict accurately the spatial lines of perspective, but then subtly modified this in his paintings, for greater effect. The figures, which were often added later, help to give a sense of scale. In the present picture he actually painted out a couple of his own figures on the left (which now that the over paint has become more transparent with time, can even be seen with the naked eye).

After his death, his almost un-peopled church interiors were sometimes felt to be too stark. This one is no exception, and the main figures that we see were probably introduced by Isaak van Nickelen (died 1703), who seems to have been his pupil, and certainly imitated him. In the foreground, two men are kneeling inscribing a stone and at the east end we can make out a preacher with a small congregation. The viewpoint is from the ground giving us the sensation of walking into the church itself.

 

Discover Smartify at Upton 

You can now delve deeper into the collection and discover more about the treasured art, porcelain and tapestries. Using the Smartify app on your mobile, take an audio tour with the Property Curator, dedicated volunteers and past family members who share their unique insights and stories. See the collection through a new lens with close-up images and more detailed information. You can find out more and share your feedback here.

 

Please note: Upton houses an important collection of art and porcelain and it isn't possible to have all items on display permanently. 

The portrait of the Earl (1709-1783) and Countess of Ely  (d.1821) by Sir Joshua Reynolds usually hangs in the Picture Room. This is currently away for conservation works, and we will share updates when it is due to be back on display.

To find out if a particular room or work is currently on display, on loan or in storage, please contact us before travelling. 

Get in touch

 

 

 

 

See all the events and activities we have going on inside the house based on the collection and history of Upton.

Winter collection talks

21 Jan & 11 Feb, 2pm - 3pm. These will take place in the Squash Court Gallery. Normal admission applies and £6 per person. Booking required. Tickets may be available on the day on a first come first served basis. 

Expand your horizons this winter with our series of afternoon talks about the collection.

Join one of our house guides to discover compelling insights into the Bearsted collection at Upton House and Gardens. On 21 January the talk will be based around 'Uncovering hidden women in the Bearsted Collection'. On 11 February, the talk is based around 'Deviant females, myths and muses in the Bearsted Collection'.