Wallace Collection of the wealthiest families in Europe. They owned large properties in England, Wales and Ireland, and increased their wealth through successful marriages. Politically of lesser importance, the 3rd and 4th Marquess and Sir Richard Wallace became leading art collectors of their time. The Wallace Collection, comprising about 5,500 works of art, was bequeathed to the British nation by Lady Wallace in 1897. The state then decided to buy Hertford House to display the collection and it was opened as a museum in 1900. As a museum the Wallace Collection's main strength is perhaps its extraordinary array of 18th-century French art:
Belfius Art Collection Belfius Art Collection The Belfius Art Collection is a collection of Belgian art owned by the Belfius Bank (and thus as of August 2018 by the Belgian State, owner of Belfius since 2011). The current collection of Belfius Bank is the combination of the cllections of three older banks which are now part of Belfius. Paribas Belgium collected art from the 16th to the 18th century, plus some contemporary (post-WWII) art, while the Gemeentekrediet collected Belgian art from 1860 to 1945. BACOB only started collecting art in 1980, focusing on contemporary Belgian art. Belfius continued collecting art after the fusion