Stockholm RW: Collections

Wilhelmina von Hallwyl

Never did I look into the facts really, but there must be an abundance of private collections of the beau monde from the 19th century. The new money of bankers, industrialists and tradesmen seemed endless and was spent in a grand manner and buying art and artefacts was one way of spending big. Anything was collected, paintings, furniture, sculptures, pianos, you name it, they bought it. One of the most amazing collections I ever saw must be the one in Museo Gulbenkian in Lisbon, Portugal. Another great opportunity is vsiting private homes that re-opened the doors as museums. I tend to visit the vast and famous state collections in London, Paris or Madrid. But my radar should cover pick up these city palaces stuffed with art from entrance to top floor are just as amazing. Like I enjoyed the Museum Mayer van den Bergh in Antwerp, Belgium and and the Museo Lázaro Galdiano in Madrid, Spain.


Stockholm has a museum just like that, it's the Hallwylska Museet. If ever in Stockholm and you're of the kind that likes to have a peek into living of the rich of yesteryear, do visit! And take the guided tour to see the most of it. I didn't because i didn't know it worked like that. Ever such a pity as I missed out on much of the art collection. Still there was plenty to gawk at for me on the first floor. The house, palace of Countess Wilhelmina von Hallwyl, daughter of a rich lumber trader, married to a Swiss nobleman Walther von Hallwyl, intended her house to become a museum. The house is fully much decorated and stuffed with paintings, porcelain, furniture, carpets, weapons and what not.

Lucky me, when I was there, there were some extra objects on display: dresses of Downton Abbey!
Well, I don't think I have to explain anything about this highly succesful BBC period drama in blogland. I have only seen parts of it. I hardly watch any TV and kind of missed many occasions. But many bloggers have written about the issue and even more about the beautiful costumes. I don't own a proper working camera at the moment, so I'll borrow from the museum site and interwebz.

The costumes suited the surroundings of the Hallwyl House pretty fine. May I tell you I was honestly stunned by some of the dresses. My goodness, the details, the fabrics, the colours... all of it. Trust me, in reality they were even more beautiful than on any of the pictures I saw on the interwebz. Evening gowns that just leave you speechless. But somehow I am always am attracted more to the daywear frocks of series (like the House of Eliott). A tat more plain, yet full of period details. I think it's because I'm more interested in daywear in general, how many pretty evening dresses does one need anyway?

Lady Mary's red coat was just so pretty, though the colour was another shade of red than in this picture. And these Summer dresses (the two on the right were on display), those were ever so fine and delicate! I figure the collection may be on display around the world as this period drama is ever so popular and not in the least because of its costumes.