Discover our latest treasure returned to Strawberry Hill House:
A Serendipitous Return: Lavinia Fontana’s lost Miniature
25 January – 23 April 2025
A remarkable discovery has brought another lost treasure back to Strawberry Hill House after more than a century. Following the recent return of the lost Caligula, another masterpiece from Horace Walpole’s celebrated collection has been found – this time a 19th-century drawing led to its identification.
The newly discovered artwork, a miniature once believed by Walpole to be by Bronzino depicting Bianca Capello, has now been attributed to the accomplished artist Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614). Whilst the true identity of the portrayed lady remains a mystery, the significance of Bianca Capello to Strawberry Hill’s history cannot be overstated.
Bianca Capello (1548-1587) was one of Walpole’s great heroines, her adventurous life inspiring both his Gothic masterpiece novel The Castle of Otranto (1764) and his tragedy play The Mysterious Mother (1791) Perhaps most famously, Walpole’s fascination with her even led him to coin the term “serendipity” while researching her Venetian coat of arms.
This exquisite miniature, one of at least three portraits of Capello once displayed at Strawberry Hill, was discovered in a private collection and will be exhibited at the house in early 2025. Its return marks another triumph in the ongoing quest to reunite Walpole’s dispersed treasures with their original home.
Tickets included in general admission
Programme to accompany the exhibit:
On the 12 February we have a talk from Adriana Concin at the V&A – A Long-Lost Italian Portrait Miniature from Horace Walpole’s Miniature Cabinet. This talk traces the Lavinia Fontana miniature’s journey: from Walpole’s acquisition, its display in the celebrated miniature cabinet at Strawberry Hill, to its rediscovery in the present day.
This is followed on the evening of the 14th February by a Gothic Romance Tour, an atmospheric journey into the past, hearing remarkable stories such as Bianca Capello’s from across the centuries, complete with intrigue, passion, mystery and drama.
On the evening of the 26th February you can enjoy the house and this exhibit at your leisure with a glass of fizz in hand at our Candlelit Late.
We complete the programme on the 2 April with a talk from Silvia Davoli, Creative Director at Strawberry Hill House – Bianca Capello: A Medici Legend in Walpole’s Imagination. This talk explores the incredible story of Bianca Capello, thought by Walpole to be the subject of this miniature.
Lavinia Fontana (1552 -1614) Portrait of a noblewoman, c. 1580-1590, oil on copper, 5.5 x 4.75cm. Collection of Nick Cox / Period Portraits.
A Long-Lost Italian Portrait Miniature from Horace Walpole’s Miniature Cabinet, a talk with Adriana Concin from the V&A
Wednesday 12 February, Doors open 6.45pm for a glass of fizz, talk 7pm-8pm.
Walpole owned three portraits of Bianca Cappello, and in 2024, one of these—a long-lost highlight of his collection, missing since 1842—has resurfaced serendipitously. The talk traces the miniature’s journey: from Walpole’s acquisition, its display in the celebrated miniature cabinet at Strawberry Hill, to its rediscovery in the present day.
Tickets £15
Bianca Capello: A Medici Legend in Walpole’s Imagination, a talk with Silvia Davoli Strawberry Hill House
Wednesday 2 April. Doors open at 3:30pm, talk starts at 4pm
Join us for an enchanting talk exploring the fascinating story of Bianca Capello, the 16th-century Venetian noblewoman who scandalised Renaissance Italy. From her dramatic elopement to her rise as Grand Duchess of Tuscany to her death in mysterious circumstances.
Tickets: £5
Find out more about the origins of the word Serendipity and it’s links to this rediscovered miniature.
Read moreEver wondered what kind of detective work is required to retrace treasured antiques and objets d’art, like this miniature, scattered two hundred years ago?
Find out moreFind out the full lost and found story of the miniature
Read more
