Waddesdon Manor

As a family, the Rothschilds were the greatest collectors of the 19th century, seeking the highest quality of workmanship and with a keen sense of historical importance. The houses that they built, the interiors they created and the magnificent collections within them became known internationally as the 'goût Rothschild'.

Waddesdon's internationally famous collection has been formed principally by four members of the family: Baron Ferdinand (1839-1898) who built Waddesdon and created the interiors, his sister Alice (1847-1922), their cousin Edmond (1845-1934) and the present Lord Rothschild (b. 1936. As near contemporaries, Ferdinand, Alice and Edmond - who resided in Paris - shared similar collecting interests and often competed with one another in the auction rooms and dealers' galleries of Europe. With their strong interest in eighteenth-century France, they each created collections that would be the envy of any of today's museums.