Ambassador’s Residence

The arrival of the new Ambassador to Washington in 2003 gave us the chance to plan new displays for the Residence, a house designed in the Queen Anne style by Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944). We chose works of art that echoed its grand architectural features and made links between Britain and America. Over the main staircase, John Piper’s large paintings of Georgian buildings in British spa towns, complement the classical interior. Nearby are Allan Ramsay’s portraits of King George III and Queen Charlotte, reigning British monarchs during the American War of Independence.

The Ambassador’s Residence designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944).

Linking with the period of the house's construction, Paul Nash's painting Riviera Window, Cros de Cagnes (1926) inspired a display of 1920s and 1930s British art in the drawing room. Works showing interiors and landscapes by artists such as Edward Burra and Charles Ginner reveal the experimental colour and compositional techniques prevalent at the time.

The Morning room with paintings by Bryan Wynter and John Hoyland

A first for the Residence was our display of 1960s and 1970s British abstract painting. Seen in the morning room, works by Roger Hilton, John Hoyland, Peter Lanyon and Bryan Wynter reveal the influence of American Abstract Expressionism. Andy Warhol's 1985 iconic portrait Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom was also displayed here.

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