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.

 

George Stubbs at Upton House

Born in Liverpool in 1742 where he grew up. George Stubbs had no regular training in painting and was almost entirely self-taught. When he was just 21 he travelled to Italy in search of inspiration for his art. After a successful trip he returned home, to begin a rigorous artistic study of the horse, from which he published The Anatomy of the Horse in 1766. 

Upton is home to some of his more unusual paintings. The Haymaker, The Labourers and The Reapers are country scenes. See the famous George Stubbs paintings in the Dining Room at Upton House when you visit. 

 

See all the events and activities we have going on inside the house based on the collection and history of Upton. More information and booking can be found under 'Upcoming Events'. 

'Modern Muse'- an exhibition by Arpita Shah

14 February - 19 July, 10 am - 4.30 pm. Normal admission applies.

Celebrating the nine Greek Muses in our collection, Upton House and Gardens presents ‘Modern Muse’, an exhibition by acclaimed photographic artist Arpita Shah.

‘Modern Muse’ is a series of photographic portraits celebrating the identities and experiences of young South Asian women from Birmingham and the West Midlands.

 

'The Six Seasons' - an exhibition by Emily Allchurch

7 March - 5 July, 11am - 3pm. Normal admission applies. There will also be a chance to meet with the artist on 14 February. 

‘The Six Seasons’ is an exhibition of new digital collages by the British artist Emily Allchurch inspired by Bruegel the Elder's ‘Seasons’ paintings from 1565.

 

Drawing Class: Upton House Interiors

14, 21, 28 April and 5 may, 10.45am - 12.45pm, £65 per person. Booking in advance essential. 

Lizzie Bentley leads this fun drawing class amidst the galleries at Upton House and inspired by its world-class collection of European art. Whether you picked up a pencil last week, or you haven't picked up a pencil for years, this class is for everyone. 

During the quieter winter months, we take the opportunity to carry out conservation work in the house. Some rooms or spaces may be closed to allow for conservation and maintenance work.  

Please note: Upton houses an important collection of art and porcelain and it isn't possible to have all items on display permanently. To find out if a particular room or work is currently on display, on loan or in storage, please contact us before travelling. 

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