Rokeby Venus created National Art Collections Fund, its first campaigning triumph. King Edward VII greatly admired the painting, and anonymously provided £8,000 (£ in 2019) towards its purchase, and became Patron of the Fund thereafter. In part because he was overlooked until the mid-19th century, Velázquez found no followers and was not widely imitated. In particular, his visual and structural innovations in this portrayal of Venus were not developed by other artists until recently, largely owing to the censorship of the work. The painting remained in a series of private rooms in private collections until it was exhibited in 1857 at the
Rokeby Park Rokeby Park Rokeby Park is a country house in the Palladian style in Northern England. It is located close to the confluence of the River Tees and River Greta, close to Greta Bridge in what is now County Durham. It was historically located in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Locally, Rokeby is pronounced "rookbee" (although many pronounce it "rowk-bee" and this is the more commonly heard pronunciation). It is the private home of Sir Andrew Morritt but is open to the public on selected days. The house is well known as the original English home of the painting The Toilet