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Jean-François Leleu, A Writing Table, 1774-6, “All by kind permission of the Trustees of the Wallace Collection.”
Snuff Box, c. 1780, Dresden, “All by kind permission of the Trustees of the Wallace Collection.”
Gauntlet, attributed to Jacob Halder, Royal Workshop, Greenwich, c. 1608, “All by kind permission of the Trustees of the Wallace Collection.”
Nicolas Maes, The Listening Housewife, 1656, “All by kind permission of the Trustees of the Wallace Collection.”
Shhh…it’s a Secret, Unlocking the secrets behind the treasures of the Wallace Collection
A unique, innovative, interactive family exhibition, curated by children
February 4 – March 28, 2010
For the first time in any national museum, The Wallace Collection is proud to present a unique, innovative and interactive exhibition curated by children.
Behind every object lies a story. Twelve young curators from the local school, St. Vincent’s Catholic Primary have been working with Wallace Collection staff to unravel the mysteries behind some of the most enigmatic and enchanting pieces in the Collection, from paintings, to armour, from ceramics to furniture.
Shhh… it’s a Secret explores the secret symbols, functions, compartments and stories behind some of these beautiful pieces. One of the highlights chosen by the children is an exquisite gold and cornelian snuffbox. In1976 curators found an amazing secret. Discovered in a hidden slide were two miniatures, of the famous philosopher Voltaire and his mathematician lover, Émilie, marquise du Châtelet. Unseen for hundreds of years they are as vibrant and sparkling as if they had been painted yesterday.
An elegant oak writing desk by Jean-François Leleu may seem on the surface to be a beautiful but functional piece, but on closer inspection the upper section encloses three cupboards closed by doors faced with dummy book spines and a secret drawer. As one pupil said upon seeing it opened up; “we were fascinated by this piece of furniture, two members of the Wallace Collection held the magical keys and we discovered lots of hidden secret compartments which were a must for our exhibition.”
The pupils loved Nicolas Maes's The Listening Housewife. One of them wrote "I was automatically drawn to this painting for its colour and wit. The lady has her forefinger close to her lips, for me this represents ‘Shhh...’ Is she eavesdropping? What secrets can she hear? It’s great how it ties in beautifully with our exhibition title.”
So if you love a secret and want to know how the beautiful Madame de Sérilly escaped the guillotine and what the initials ‘HP’ stand for on elaborate gauntlet join us on this exciting journey. This exhibition celebrates these small details which you may have previously overlooked and provides an opportunity to enjoy the collection in a new light. But just one thing, Shhh…it's a Secret...!
The pupils have been working with staff from the Wallace Collection one day a week for a year. They have been involved in every aspect of the exhibition from choosing the objects and themes; the display of the galleries including label writing and layout; helping with all press and marketing material and giving a presentation to journalists; designing and running educational workshops and keeping an eye on the budget.
For more information please visit: The Wallace Collection
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