A Capital Collection:
Houghton Hall and the Hermitage

After the fall of Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first "prime" minister, from political power in 1742, most of his celebrated collection of Old Master paintings was removed to his newly-built Palladian house in Norfolk, Houghton Hall. In 1779 this collection was sold by Sir Robert's grandson to the Empress Catherine II of Russia, which was seen as a scandalous loss to Britain. This volume catalogues the entire collection in Russia as well as those works of art that remained at Houghton Hall. Accompanying the catalogue are essays on various aspects of the formation and sale of the collection.