Art & Collections

At Russborough we care for one of the largest and most significant private collections of European fine and decorative arts in Ireland. Russborough has been home to renowned art collections established by the 1st Earl of Milltown in the 18th century and Alfred Beit in the 19th. The Beit family were among the most important collectors of the late 19th and 20th centuries.

The collections, along with the house and estate, were transferred to the ownership of the Alfred Beit Foundation in 1976. Russborough opened to the public as a museum in 1978. Among the Collection’s treasures are an outstanding array of French and English furniture from the 1700s, many important paintings from the 17th to 20th centuries, and among the finest private collections of 18th century silver and porcelain in Ireland.

Joseph Leeson, later 1st Earl of Milltown, embarked on two Grand Tours to Italy during Russborough’s construction, acquiring artworks and furnishings to reflect his wealth and taste. The resulting collection included masterpieces by Nicholas Poussin, Claude-Joseph Vernet, and Rosalba Carriera, as well as antique Roman sculptures and scagliola tabletops crafted by Pietro Belloni.

Inside Russborough, Leeson displayed his collection with dramatic flair. The North Front rooms showcased densely hung paintings, while the South Front featured classical statues, Irish landscapes by George Barret, and marine scenes by Vernet. Lavish plasterwork by the Lafranchini brothers, richly carved mahogany, and giltwood mirrors completed the opulent interiors.

Lady Geraldine Milltown ensured the collection’s legacy by donating it to the National Gallery of Ireland in 1902, preserving this extraordinary glimpse into 18th-century aristocratic life.

The Beit family’s extraordinary art collection, assembled over three generations, reflects a passion for European art and a commitment to cultural philanthropy. Beginning with Alfred Beit Sr., a pioneering diamond magnate, the collection grew under the guidance of Wilhelm von Bode to include Old Master paintings by Vermeer, Velázquez, and Goya, as well as Italian Renaissance bronzes, 16th-century majolica, and 18th-century French and English furniture.

Sir Alfred Beit and Lady Clementine Beit brought this legacy to Russborough in the 1950s, transforming the house into a showcase for masterpieces by Dutch, Flemish, and British painters, alongside tapestries, clocks, and fine furniture. They continued to expand the collection, adding works such as Oudry’s Indian Blackbuck with Two Pointers and Vernet’s marine landscapes, originally commissioned for Russborough.

In 1976, the Beits founded the Alfred Beit Foundation to preserve the house and its treasures for future generations. Their generous donation of paintings to the National Gallery of Ireland and their gift of Russborough to the nation secured their enduring legacy as custodians of one of Ireland’s most significant cultural assets.