US Ambassadors' Van Goghs at Winfield House: Trump's Pick Lacks One
Winfield House, the residence of the US ambassador located in Regent's Park, London, has a notable past of showcasing Van Gogh masterpieces from previous ambassadors. John Hay Whitney, who served from 1957 to 1961, displayed his acquired Van Gogh Self-portrait (September 1889) above the dining room mantel, which he obtained in 1947. Walter Annenberg, ambassador from 1969 to 1974, exhibited La Berceuse (February 1889) and Olive Trees (November 1889) in the green room, alongside works by renowned artists such as Gauguin and Monet. Both Whitney and Annenberg later donated their Van Gogh pieces to prestigious US museums. Currently, ambassador Warren Stephens, appointed by Donald Trump, has introduced his own art collection, featuring works by various artists but excluding Van Gogh. The Stephens family also supports the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, which opened the Harriet and Warren Stephens Galleries in 2023.
Key facts
- John Hay Whitney (ambassador 1957-61) displayed Van Gogh's Self-portrait (September 1889) in Winfield House's dining room.
- Walter Annenberg (ambassador 1969-74) displayed Van Gogh's La Berceuse (February 1889) and Olive Trees (November 1889) in the green room.
- Whitney acquired his Van Gogh in 1947; Annenberg acquired La Berceuse in 1967 and Olive Trees in 1954.
- Whitney's Van Gogh was bequeathed to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC in 1998.
- Annenberg's Van Goghs were bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
- Current ambassador Warren Stephens, appointed by Trump, has no Van Gogh in his collection at Winfield House.
- Stephens donated $4m to Trump's 2025 inauguration, the largest contribution.
- Stephens and his wife Harriet have works by Renoir, Degas, Monet, Braque, and Pissarro at Winfield House.
Entities
Artists
- Vincent van Gogh
- John Hay Whitney
- Walter Annenberg
- Leonore Annenberg
- Paul Gauguin
- Edgar Degas
- Paul Cezanne
- Claude Monet
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Thomas Gainsborough
- Gustave Courbet
- Thomas Eakins
- John Singer Sargent
- Henri Matisse
- Georges Braque
- Camille Pissarro
- Augustine Roulin
- Joseph Roulin
- Warren Stephens
- Harriet Stephens
- Betsey Whitney
Institutions
- Winfield House
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
- Museum of Modern Art, New York
- Tate Britain
- National Gallery, London
- Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA)
- Philadelphia Inquirer
- New York Herald Tribune
- Court of St James's
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Regent's Park
- Buckingham Palace
- New York
- United States
- Washington, DC
- Dublin
- Ireland
- Townley Hall
- Little Rock
- Arkansas
- Polynesia