A selection of paintings generally regarded as the best of the best in the Wallace Collection.
The Wallace Collection displays a world-famous array of European oil paintings from the fourteenth to the mid-nineteenth century which, among museums in England, is surpassed only by those in the National Gallery. For this talk I have selected paintings which are generally regarded as the best of the best in the Wallace Collection, with examples of the main painting genres – history painting, portraiture, landscape, genre and still life; these will include The Laughing Cavalier by Frans Hals and exceptional works by Titian, Velazquez, Rubens and Rembrandt.
THE ARTS SOCIETY ACCREDITED LECTURER
Mr Norton Asbury
Norton is a freelance art historian and tutor, who has provided a wide range of art historical talks and practical art workshops for Phyllis Court, The National Gallery, the Wallace Collection and various other organisations. His particular area of interest is French art from circa 1850 to 1880 as well as the role of drawing in the work of different artists. He studied at The Courtauld Institute of Art from 2002 to 2005 and was awarded a 1st Class BA (Hons) degree in History of Art and was subsequently assessed as ‘outstanding’ in an Ofsted assessment by City Lit for his art history teaching.
Awards, Qualifications & Memberships:
1st Class BA (Hons) degree in History of Art, Courtauld Institute of Art, 2005
Assessed as ‘outstanding’ in an Ofsted assessment by City Lit for art history teaching
FRICS
GALLERY 
OTHER EVENTS
Society
Mrs Cindy Polemis
26 Feb 2026 - 19:30
Online Event
One of the first truly global artists who turned herself into an art icon and only became world famous after her premature death.
Society
Ms Lucy Hughes-Hallett
26 Mar 2026 - 19:30
Online Event
A favourite of James 1 - Buckingham surrounded himself with beautiful objects and was a discerning patron.