One of the more poignant objects in the exhibition highlights aspects of the collection that relate directly to the lives of the Cavendish family. One such treasure is a deeply personal condolence letter from President John F Kennedy to the 10th Duchess, whose son – only recently married to the president’s sister Kathleen ‘Kick’ Kennedy – had been killed during World War II.

CANALETTO
VENICE: A VIEW OF SANTA MARIA DELLA SALUTE AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE GRAND CANAL FROM THE PIAZETTA
&
VENICE: A VIEW OF THE DOGE'S PALACE AND THE RIVA DEGLI SCHIAVONI FROM THE PIAZZETTA

A pair of exceptional paintings on copper panels by 18th-century artist Antonio da Canale, (called Canaletto) show views of Venice looking West and East from the Piazzetta by St. Mark’s. The copper support renders these classic sunlit Venetian scenes with increased luminosity. They belong to a small group of Canaletto’s views on copper painted dating to the late 1720s, and primarily sold to English patrons. The pair was last on view in New York 30 years ago, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s major Canaletto exhibition in 1989-90.

THOMAS SMITH
A VIEW OF CHATSWORTH FROM THE SOUTH-WEST

This painted view of Chatsworth set in its estate only entered the Devonshire Collection in 1983, although strong efforts were made to acquire it half a century earlier. It was not painted for a Duke of Devonshire, as might perhaps be expected, but was preparatory for a reproductive engraving of 1744 – Sotheby’s founding year – and part of a larger commercial venture by its artist Thomas Smith of Derby and his engravers such as François Vivares.

Although Thomas Smith has received recent academic acclaim as a pioneer landscape painter of the Peak District, his painting’s significance for Chatsworth is as a historical, visual record of the house, outbuildings, garden and estate in the 1740s, before sweeping changes were made 20 years later – principally to the house’s setting in the landscape.

The painting normally forms part of a room at Chatsworth seen by visitors, in which painted views of Chatsworth from the Elizabethan house through to the current Baroque house in the 1770s are shown in its updated Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown setting.  

About Chatsworth House & the Devonshire Collection
Chatsworth is a family home and a much-loved visitor attraction at the heart of a working estate in the Derbyshire Peak District. Home to the Cavendish family since 1549, it is a place that combines innovation with long-held traditions of commissioning and collecting.

Chatsworth is brought to life by its people. This exhibition, curated by Chatsworth with support from Oxford University, highlights some of those individuals who have made significant contributions to the Devonshire Collection and explores the personal stories and relationships behind beautiful objects.

The Devonshire Collection at Chatsworth is one of Europe’s most significant private art collections. Including 17th-century portraits, Old Master drawings and twenty-first century art and sculpture, the Devonshire Collection is a record of one family’s far ranging taste and interests over five centuries.

The Devonshire Collection is constantly evolving. It is a place where old and new co-exist. From the 1st Duke’s baroque interiors and decorative arts, through the new sculpture acquired by the 6th Duke in the 19th century, to the renaissance in collecting which began with the 11th Duke and Duchess and continues under the present Duke and Duchess, contemporary art has always been at the heart of Chatsworth.

About the Chatsworth House Trust
The Chatsworth House Trust was set up and endowed by the Devonshire family in 1981. A registered charity. Its principal purpose is the long-term preservation of the house, its art collection, garden, woodlands and park for the benefit of the public.

The Trust does not receive funding direct from the government; instead it depends on other sources; including visitor admissions, memberships, sponsorships, and donations. It is also home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, who pay a market rent for the rooms they occupy. All income goes directly to pay the operating and running costs of the charity – which includes caring for the collection, house maintenance, staff salaries, events and exhibitions, security, sales and marketing – as well as administration and support. Any surplus generated through the charity’s activities, this is spent on conservation and restoration of the house, garden and park to ensure their continued preservation.

In 2018 the charity celebrated the completion of the most ambitious and expensive restoration programme in nearly 200 years. The project, which took over 10 years and £32m to complete, encompassed both external conservation and essential internal improvements to restore the historic architecture to its former glory, with the intention to ensure the preservation of Chatsworth for the next 200 years and deliver an enhanced visitor experience for all.