Osterley House in its present form was built on a banking fortune.  Over successive generations, the Child family transformed the mansion and filled it with treasures from the profits of their Fleet Street bank, Child & Co.

Osterley is famed for the neo-Classical interiors of Robert Adam (1728-92), but this exhibition showcases and explores the rising fortunes of the family during an earlier period, the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and takes a closer look at furniture, ceramics, silver and paintings acquired during the Financial Revolution by a City family.

It considers the meaning of these works of art, both to the Child family and to the cultures that created them.  Spread across four of Osterley's grand rooms, some of its exhibits are rarely on view and the centrepiece of the exhibition is the recently acquired 17th century painting of St Agatha by Carlo Dolci, originally in the collection of Robert Child I (1674-1721).  

Furniture exhibits include a 17th century Parisian ebony cabinet, very similar to the cabinet of John and Mary Evelyn in the Geffrye Museum, shown open for the first time, and a striking collection of armorial Chinese Export lacquer furniture.  We will have a special curator-led tour of the exhibition with Megan Wheeler, National Trust.

Cost: £28 (includes tea/coffee)
Limit: 20
Closing date for applications: Friday, 10 January 2020

For more information, or to book your place, please email Beatrice Goddard, Events Secretary at events@furniturehistorysociety.org