Julie Amelie Charlotte Castelnau, known from 1871 as Lady Wallace (1819 – 1897) is best known today for her "bequest to the Nation" of about 5,500 artworks that resulted in the Wallace Collection, which opened in her marital home 13 years after her death. Her bequest was almost certainly in fulfilment of the wishes[1] of her late husband Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet, who together with his father and grandfather, the 3rd and 4th Marquesses of Hertford, had amassed the majority of the collection.[2]
Julie Amelie Charlotte Castelnau
Born
1819
Died
1897
Julie Amelie met her illegitimately-born husband Richard Jackson in Paris and their illegitimate son Georges Henry Edmond Castelnau was born in 1840, 30 years before they were legally married as M. & Mme. Wallace. Since little of her own correspondence has survived, what few details of her early life are from her husband's correspondence or sources outside the direct family. Richard had been born in London but from age six he was raised in Paris by his grandmother, Maria Fagnani, 3rd Marchioness of Hertford, who was the estranged wife of the 3rd marquess.[3]
Richard Jackson was a companion to her three children and by 1842 he, Julie Amelie, and son Georges were living nearby her together with Maria's youngest, Lord Henry Seymour. Their home was also close to Maria's eldest son, who had become Lord Hertford upon the death of his father, which expanded the family fortunes considerably. 1842 was also the year that Richard Jackson took on the maiden name of his birth mother Mrs. Agnes Jackson (née Wallace), presumably upon learning his true parentage at the inquest of his grandfather. In subsequent decades father and son remained neighbors and were art collectors together, following in the art collecting interests of (grand)mother Maria. After Lord Hertford's death in 1870, Julie Amelie and Richard finally obtained legal recognition of Richard's parentage as the son of Lord Hertford in 1871 and they married. Lord Hertford had never married, and his titles went to a distant cousin but he left his unentailed estates and art collection (which they had often jointly collected) to Richard.[3]
The Wallace couple were well known for charitable works in Paris, especially during the Siege of Paris (1870–71).[3] Richard was awarded a baronetcy 24 December 1871 and the Legion d'Honneur in 1872. The sculptor Charles-Auguste Lebourg made a bust of Lady Wallace that was shown at the Paris Salon in 1872.
Somewhat shaken after the war and worried about a home for his large art collection, Sir Richard decided to move to London. His London home was open to visitors and it is unknown if Sir Richard meant it to become a museum. After his death, Lady Wallace continued her charity works and her son having pre-deceased her husband, she left only minor real estate to her grandchildren and left the remainder of her husband's art collection not gifted to the nation, and his mansions and estates in France, Ireland and London, to her private secretary John Murray Scott who had served the couple throughout their marriage. Scott claimed much of the credit for having persuaded her to make the bequest to the Nation,[4] and claimed that she had intended to leave all to him. For Scott's assistance in selling Hertford House (which he had inherited) to the government as a permanent home for the Collection, he was created a baronet.[5]
The bulk of her husband's art collection was left in her "bequest to the Nation", in a gesture that was unprecedented, as it stipulated that admission must be free of charge, which has continued up to the present day.
^Higgott; Hertford House was held on lease from the Portman Estate, which sold the freehold to the government
Unmasking an Enigma: Who Was Lady Wallace and What Did She Achieve? by Suzanne Higgott, 2021
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September 01, 2023
julie, amelie, charlotte, castelnau, known, from, 1871, lady, wallace, 1819, 1897, best, known, today, bequest, nation, about, artworks, that, resulted, wallace, collection, which, opened, marital, home, years, after, death, bequest, almost, certainly, fulfilm. Julie Amelie Charlotte Castelnau known from 1871 as Lady Wallace 1819 1897 is best known today for her bequest to the Nation of about 5 500 artworks that resulted in the Wallace Collection which opened in her marital home 13 years after her death Her bequest was almost certainly in fulfilment of the wishes 1 of her late husband Sir Richard Wallace 1st Baronet who together with his father and grandfather the 3rd and 4th Marquesses of Hertford had amassed the majority of the collection 2 Julie Amelie Charlotte CastelnauBorn1819Died1897Julie Amelie met her illegitimately born husband Richard Jackson in Paris and their illegitimate son Georges Henry Edmond Castelnau was born in 1840 30 years before they were legally married as M amp Mme Wallace Since little of her own correspondence has survived what few details of her early life are from her husband s correspondence or sources outside the direct family Richard had been born in London but from age six he was raised in Paris by his grandmother Maria Fagnani 3rd Marchioness of Hertford who was the estranged wife of the 3rd marquess 3 Richard Jackson was a companion to her three children and by 1842 he Julie Amelie and son Georges were living nearby her together with Maria s youngest Lord Henry Seymour Their home was also close to Maria s eldest son who had become Lord Hertford upon the death of his father which expanded the family fortunes considerably 1842 was also the year that Richard Jackson took on the maiden name of his birth mother Mrs Agnes Jackson nee Wallace presumably upon learning his true parentage at the inquest of his grandfather In subsequent decades father and son remained neighbors and were art collectors together following in the art collecting interests of grand mother Maria After Lord Hertford s death in 1870 Julie Amelie and Richard finally obtained legal recognition of Richard s parentage as the son of Lord Hertford in 1871 and they married Lord Hertford had never married and his titles went to a distant cousin but he left his unentailed estates and art collection which they had often jointly collected to Richard 3 The Wallace couple were well known for charitable works in Paris especially during the Siege of Paris 1870 71 3 Richard was awarded a baronetcy 24 December 1871 and the Legion d Honneur in 1872 The sculptor Charles Auguste Lebourg made a bust of Lady Wallace that was shown at the Paris Salon in 1872 Somewhat shaken after the war and worried about a home for his large art collection Sir Richard decided to move to London His London home was open to visitors and it is unknown if Sir Richard meant it to become a museum After his death Lady Wallace continued her charity works and her son having pre deceased her husband she left only minor real estate to her grandchildren and left the remainder of her husband s art collection not gifted to the nation and his mansions and estates in France Ireland and London to her private secretary John Murray Scott who had served the couple throughout their marriage Scott claimed much of the credit for having persuaded her to make the bequest to the Nation 4 and claimed that she had intended to leave all to him For Scott s assistance in selling Hertford House which he had inherited to the government as a permanent home for the Collection he was created a baronet 5 The bulk of her husband s art collection was left in her bequest to the Nation in a gesture that was unprecedented as it stipulated that admission must be free of charge which has continued up to the present day References Edit Higgott Higgott a b c Armstrong Walter 1899 Wallace Richard Dictionary of National Biography Vol 59 pp 102 103 Higgott Higgott Hertford House was held on lease from the Portman Estate which sold the freehold to the government Unmasking an Enigma Who Was Lady Wallace and What Did She Achieve by Suzanne Higgott 2021 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Julie Amelie Charlotte Castelnau Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Julie Amelie Charlotte Castelnau amp oldid 1158205249, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
