ART ANTIQUES LONDON LECTURE PROGRAMME.
Panel Discussion “Houghton – Revisited: The Walpole Masterpieces from Catherine The Great’s Hermitage.”
Chaired by The Hon Anna Somers Cocks OBE (Chief Executive of The Art Newspaper) in discussion with The Marquess of Cholmondeley and Dr Thierry Morel Thursday June 13, 2013.

Art Antiques London 2013 is delighted to announce a panel discussion based on the current exhibition at Houghton Hall entitled “Houghton – Revisited: The Walpole masterpieces from Catherine The Great’s Hermitage” as part of the fair’s much praised lecture programme.  Art Antiques London, now in its fourth year, runs from June 13-19 in Kensington Gardens London, next to The Albert Memorial at Queens Gate.

Houghton Hall, now the family seat of Sir Robert Walpole’s direct descendent, the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, is considered one of the country’s finest Palladian houses. Built by Sir Robert Walpole, Britain’s first Prime Minister, it was the home of one of the world’s most important art collections. In 1779 Walpole’s descendantssold the collection of Old Masters to Catherine the Great; most of them have been displayed at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg ever since, with two of the works going overseas to the National Gallery in Washington D.C. Two hundred years later, 70 of these remarkable paintings are temporarily returning for an exhibition at Houghton Hall.

The exhibition includes paintings from the English, French, Italian, Flemish and Spanish schools with masterpieces by Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Albani, Rubens, Poussin, Velazquez and Murillo. The paintings will be rehung in their spectacular original settings at Houghton Hall for the first time in two centuries, in the magnificent State Room interiors with furnishings designed by William Kent.

The genesis of this unprecedented exhibition came from Dr Thierry Morel, who is the exhibition curator. Sir Robert Walpole’s direct descendant, the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley said of the exhibition “it was always a thought at the back of my mind to do this, but I never dreamed it would be possible."  The panel discussion will cover the background to the exhibition, the house and its art works.

Art Antiques London 13- 19 June 2013
Art Antiques London takes place in a purpose-built pavilion in
Kensington Gardens opposite the Royal Albert Hall and close to the site of the
Great Exhibition of 1851. This superb site lends itself perfectly to an art fair of
this calibre.This very special event will bring together approximately 65 of the
world’s leading art dealers. Tickets are £15.00 and can be purchased at the Fair.

For further information about Art Antiques London, please visit www.haughton.com

US Press:
Magda Grigorian T: (212) 877-0202
E: Haughton.ny@prodigy.net

There will be no admission charge for this panel discussion but applications for tickets
must be e-mailed directly to lectures@haughton.com and tickets will be issued on a
first come first served basis.

For further information about Houghton Hall:
http://houghtonhall.com/index.php/news-events