An Allegory of Peace by Simon Vouet (1590-1649) Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, UK © Devonshire Collection
Chatsworth, known as ‘The Palace of the Peak’, is the Derbyshire home of the Cavendish family, the Dukes of Devonshire, and has often been selected as Britain’s favourite country house.
Chatsworth boasts one of the greatest private art collections in the world which contains treasures acquired by the Family from the 16th century to the present day.
Following a partnership with The Bridgeman Art Library, many of the most prized images within this collection are available to view and download for licensing projects.
Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire with her infant daughter Lady Georgiana Cavendish by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-92) Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, UK © Devonshire Collection
The Devonshire Collection includes views of the house, garden and park throughout the ages as well as portraits of the Cavendish family, imposingly depicted by the grandest artists of the day including Sir Anthony van Dyck, Pompeo Batoni and John Singer Sargent.
Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, the subject of a recent film and book, was the first wife of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire and a celebrated beauty, socialite and gambler.
A portrait of her with her infant daughter Georgiana, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, conveys her playful and alluring nature.
The Bellman by Samuel Palmer (1805-81) Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, UK/ © Devonshire Collection, Chatsworth
Aristocratic tastes revealed
The images within the collection are key to showing aristocratic tastes of the last few centuries and include pastoral English scenes by Samuel Palmer, exotic lands visited on the Grand Tour and costume designs by Inigo Jones.
Representing the archives of over thirty historic house collections in the UK
Some highlights are listed below. Click on the links to see the gems of these historic art collections.
Arundel Castle, West Sussex
Belvoir Castle, Lincolnshire
Burghley House, Lincolnshire
Firle Place, East Sussex
Goodwood House, West Sussex
Harewood House Trust, Leeds
Hever Castle, Kent
Holkham Hall, Norfolk
Leeds Castle, Kent
Weston Park, Staffordshire
Wilton House, Wiltshire