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:
Maxim's Art Nouveau "Collection 1900" Majorelle, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Émile Gallé, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Clement Massier. These objects are displayed in a 12 room apartment building (three floors) which is now classified as a historic monument. Highlights of the collection include furniture by Majorelle, a sofa inspired by Antoni Gaudí and recreations of bedrooms from that time period. Maxim's Art Nouveau "Collection 1900" Maxim's Art Nouveau "Collection 1900", also known as the Musée Art Nouveau - Maxim's, is a private collection of Art Nouveau objects and decor, located in the 8th arrondissement above Maxim's Paris restaurant at 3, Rue Royale, Paris, France. It is