The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-05 00:00:00

OPENING OF APSLEY HOUSE TO THE PUBLIC

The Duke of Wellington liberally proposes to open
the principal apartments of Apsley House to the public
during the present month of January, on Tuesdays,
Thursdays, and Saturdays, from ten till three o'clock.
Admission tickets are to be issued by Mr. Mitchell, 33,
Old Bond-street, in answer to written applications, with
name and address: Visitors are requested to observe
the regulations made by the attendants and the police.
From a small catalogue just issued we take the follow-
ing particulars relative to the Mansion
Apsley-house was built by Henry Bathurst, Baron
Apsley, Earl Bathurst ; it was purchased by the late
Duke of Wellington in the year 1820, and was subse-
quently greatly enlarged by him. From the Entrance-
hall visitors pass to a room, upon the right hand, used as
"The Waiting room, in which there are marble busts
of the late duke, by Steele, of Edinburgh ; Lord Castle-
reagh, Mr. Perceval, Colonel Gurwood, Colonel Pon-
sonby, &c. &c.
" At the Foot of the Staircase stands a Colossal statue
of Napoleon, by Canova, presented to the late duke by
the allied sovereigns of Europe. Entering the
" Piccadilly Drawing-room, are several admirable
paintings ; those most worthy of mention are—' A por-
trait of John, Duke of Marlborough,' over the mantel-
piece, The Chelsea Pensioners,' by Wilkie ; the com-
panion painting, The Greenwich Pensioners,' by
Burnet ; Van Amburgh in the Cage with Wild Beasts,'
by Sir Edwin Landseer ; and several cabinet specimens
of the Dutch school. Proceeding to the adjoining
" Drawing-room, over the door, on entering is a por-
trait of Marshal Soult ; and a fine portrait of Pope
Pius VII. This room also contains the original painting
of The Melton Hunt,' by Francis Grant, Esq., R.A. ;
and copies from Raffaele, by Bonnemaison, of the four
celebrated works known as The Spasimo," La Ma-
donna del Pesce," The Pearl,' and `The Visitation.'
Over the door, leading to an inner room, is a Portrait
of Mr. Pitt,' and another of the late Mr. Arbuthnot,'
by Gambardella. Opposite the pier glasses, stand a
pair of vases, porcelain de Sevres, presented to the
duke by Louis XVIII.

"The Picture Gallery. It was in this apartment that
the annual banquet of the 18th of June was held ; the
late duke occupied a chair fronting the large central fire-
place. The gallery contains numerous admirable speci-
mens of celebrated painters, the name of each artist ap-
pearing on the frames, The candelabras, of Russian
porphyry, in the centre of the room, were presented by
the Emperor Nicholas, and the vases, of porphyry, from
Sweden, at the side of the apartment, by the late King
of Sweden.

"The small Drawing Room.—Upon the table, near
the door, a Malachite vase, presented by the Emperor
Alexander; above it is a portrait of the present Duches's
of Wellington, by Gambardella ; upon the right-hand
side a full-length portrait of William IV., by Wilkie ;
and upon a table are placed two services of very hand-
some Sevres china ; one presented by Louis XVIII.,
the other, formerly belonging to Joseph, King of Spain.
"The Striped Drawing Room.—The most interesting
paintings in this apartment are:—' The Battle of Water-
loo,' by Sir Wm. Alien (taken from Napoleon's head-
quarters); portraits of Lord Berosford, Lord Lynedoch,
Lord Anglesea, and Lady Wellesley—by Sir Thomas
Lawrence ; Lord Nelson, by Sir Wm. Beechey; Lady
Charlotte Greville, by Hoppner ; Sir George Murray;
and over the door, portraits of Marshal Blucher, and the
late Lord Cowley—by Hoppner. Passing through this
room, visitors descend the back staircase, and are con-
ducted to

" The China Room, in which are portions of services
of Prussian and Saxon china, presented by the Emperor
of Austria, the King of Prussia, and Louis XVIII.,
contained in glass cases. The silver plateau, in cases,
on each side of the mantel-piece, was presented by the
Regent of Portugal, for services during the/ peninsular
war, from 1808 to 1811. Opposite the entrance is
placed the Wellington shield, manufactured from designs
by Stothard, and presented by the merchants and bank-
ers in London in the year 1822. Upon the cases are
some remarkable busts in bronze, of the Marquis of
Wellesley, Henri Quatre, the Prince de Conde, Louis
XIV., and Marshal Turenne.
" From this room we pass through the Secretary's
Room, the Duke's private Room, and the Duke's Bed
Room (in the arrangement of which not the slightest
alteration has been made since they were last used), and
thence into the garden by an outlet constructed as a pri-
vate communication with the mansion, and habitually
used by the late illustrious duke."