Walpole Society

The Walpole Society is a learned organisation dedicated to the study and advancement of the history of British art and artists. Founded in 1911 and based in London, the Society has played a central role in establishing British art history as a rigorous academic discipline. Named after Horace Walpole, the eighteenth-century writer, collector, and antiquarian, the Society draws its intellectual foundation from Walpole’s pioneering efforts to document British art systematically. Since its inception, the Society has focused on scholarly publication, archival research, and the promotion of high standards in art-historical enquiry spanning the Middle Ages to the present day.

Intellectual Origins and Naming

The Society takes its name from Horace Walpole (1717–1797), who is widely regarded as the first historian of British art. From 1762 onwards, Walpole published Anecdotes of Painting in England, the earliest comprehensive history of art produced in Britain. This work was based largely on the manuscript notebooks of George Vertue, an engraver and antiquary whose meticulous records constitute the most important source of information on British art and artists prior to the mid-eighteenth century.
While Walpole’s Anecdotes were groundbreaking, they were selective. Walpole edited, condensed, and in some cases omitted substantial portions of Vertue’s original notes. By the early twentieth century, scholars increasingly recognised the need to reassess Vertue’s manuscripts in their entirety. This scholarly imperative directly influenced the establishment of the Walpole Society, whose founders sought to recover, publish, and contextualise primary sources fundamental to the understanding of British art history.

Foundation and Early Objectives

The Walpole Society was founded in 1911 by a group of scholars, collectors, and connoisseurs committed to serious historical research into British art. One of its earliest and most significant objectives was the publication of George Vertue’s notebooks in their original and unabridged form. This task addressed long-standing gaps created by Walpole’s editorial interventions and provided researchers with direct access to Vertue’s observations, attributions, and documentary references.
The Society’s early activities reflected a broader shift in art history away from anecdotal writing and connoisseurship alone towards documentary-based scholarship. By prioritising archival research, transcription, and critical editing, the Walpole Society helped establish methodological standards that continue to influence the discipline.

Publications and Scholarly Output

A central activity of the Walpole Society is the publication of an annual scholarly volume, commonly known as the Walpole Society Journal. These volumes consist of original research articles written by members of the Society as well as invited scholars from the United Kingdom and abroad. The journal has become one of the most respected serial publications devoted exclusively to British art history.
The Society’s publications are characterised by their emphasis on primary sources, detailed analysis, and long-form scholarship. Many articles present newly discovered documents, reassess established attributions, or offer comprehensive studies of artists, patrons, or collections. Over time, the journal has served as a repository of foundational research, frequently cited in museum catalogues, academic monographs, and university teaching.
In addition to the annual volume, the Society has supported the editing and publication of key historical documents, reinforcing its commitment to preserving and disseminating essential source material.

Scope of Research and Academic Focus

The field of research supported by the Walpole Society is deliberately broad, reflecting the complexity of British art history. Areas of study include:

• Painting and drawing, encompassing easel paintings, mural work, and preparatory studies
• Prints and printmaking, including engraving, etching, and lithography
• Miniatures, particularly those associated with court culture and private patronage
• Sculpture, in stone, metal, and wood
• Illuminated manuscripts, linking British art to medieval literary and religious traditions

Beyond artistic media, the Society also encourages research into patronage, collecting practices, and travel, recognising that art production cannot be fully understood without reference to social, political, and economic contexts. Studies of artists’ movements, foreign influences, and the circulation of artworks have therefore been integral to the Society’s scholarly remit.
Chronologically, the Society covers the entire history of British art, from the Middle Ages through the early modern period and into modern and contemporary contexts. This long historical perspective distinguishes the Society from more narrowly focused institutions.

Membership and Scholarly Community

Membership of the Walpole Society traditionally consists of art historians, museum professionals, curators, collectors, and independent scholars with a demonstrated commitment to the study of British art. The Society functions as a learned community rather than a public-facing organisation, prioritising academic exchange and publication over exhibitions or popular outreach.
Through its meetings, editorial work, and collaborative research culture, the Society has fostered connections between universities, museums, and private collections. Its international reach is reflected in the contributions of scholars from Europe, North America, and beyond, underscoring the global relevance of British art history.

The Berger Prize

In 2024, the Walpole Society entered into an agreement with the Berger Collection Educational Trust (BCET) to administer The Berger Prize, an annual book prize awarded for excellence in art-historical scholarship. The prize represents a significant expansion of the Society’s role in recognising and encouraging contemporary research.
The Berger Prize is awarded to a scholarly publication that demonstrates outstanding originality, depth of research, and contribution to the field of art history. By associating the prize with its long-standing commitment to rigorous scholarship, the Walpole Society reinforces its position as a leading authority in the discipline.
The collaboration with BCET also reflects a broader trend within the Society towards supporting emerging scholarship and increasing the visibility of art-historical research beyond specialist circles.

Significance within Art History

The Walpole Society occupies a distinctive position within the study of British art. Its sustained focus on documentary evidence, primary sources, and long-term publication projects has shaped generations of scholarship. Many standard narratives of British art history rely heavily on research first published in the Society’s volumes.
By bridging antiquarian traditions and modern academic methods, the Society has ensured continuity between early sources such as Vertue’s notebooks and contemporary interpretative frameworks. Its work has been particularly influential in reassessing neglected artists, clarifying provenance, and understanding the institutional and social structures that shaped British artistic production.