Matinale – Londres, Wallace Collection et Abbaye de Westminster

The Wallace Collection was founded in 1897 following the donation by Lady Wallace of the superb collection of ancient art built up by her husband, the collector and philanthropist Richard Wallace. The museum is housed in the couple's former home, contains nearly 5,500 objects and is divided into six departments: paintings and prints, ceramics, weapons, objets d'art, furniture and sculpture.

Opened in 1900, the Wallace Collection is the second largest museum of ancient art in England and one of the largest in Europe. Its most famous department remains 18th-century French art: a fine tribute to the Age of Enlightenment, with Watteau, Boucher and Fragonard in particular.

In a second part we will discuss the very famous Westminster Abbey, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. In the heart of London, it is the scene of the coronations of the country's sovereigns and the burial place of several queens and kings of England as well as other famous people as evidenced by the Corner of Poets, Writers, Scientists, Actors and Explorers who have contributed to shaping the Anglo-Saxon identity. The Abbey, historically and symbolically rich, has a capital importance in the cultural influence of the United Kingdom.