How the Courtauld Family Built London's Premier Impressionist Collection

In 1794, the Courtauld family, who are descendants of Huguenot refugees, established a textile enterprise, amassing considerable wealth. Samuel Courtauld (1876–1947), who served as chairman of Courtaulds Ltd, was a prominent art collector and philanthropist. His journey into art collection began in 1922 following an exhibition at the Burlington Fine Arts Club. Influenced by his wife Elizabeth, he acquired pieces such as Renoir's 'Woman Tying Her Shoe' and Jean Marchand's 'Saint-Paul, Côte d'Azur.' Samuel also collected works by Van Gogh, Manet, Cézanne, and Renoir, championing Impressionist art. In 1932, he co-founded the Courtauld Institute of Art alongside Viscount Lee of Fareham and Sir Robert Witt. The Courtauld Gallery, located in Somerset House, houses approximately 530 paintings and over 26,000 drawings from various renowned artists and eras.