NAVIGATION

Thomas Hope (1769-1831) was a major catalyst in the arts of Regency England. He developed a passion for the heroic days of classical antiquity, and at the age of 18 embarked on an ‘Grand Tour’ that lasted nearly 10 years. While travelling he started to assemble a remarkable art collection that accompanied him to London when he and his family fled Holland following the French invasion of 1794. Hope installed the collection in the extraordinary interior of his Duchess Street house and its decoration ultimately fostered what became known as ‘The Regency’. This fascinating amalgam of decorative details, ornament with direct influences from antiquity, European architecture and design changed the course of British Fine Art. Shapes such as this urn mimicking Antiquity became all the rage.