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Discovering Jewish Villas and Country Houses: Photographs by Hélène Binet

Introduction – The Significance of Jewish Heritage and the Jewish Country Houses Project

We warmly welcome you to our exhibition Discovering Jewish Villas and Country Houses: Photographs by Hélène Binet. This travelling exhibition was created in collaboration with the Jewish Country Houses Project at the University of Oxford, Strawberry Hill, Waddesdon Manor, and the Liebermann-Villa am Wannsee.

Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom

The magnificent estates of the famous Rothschild family can be found across Europe. Ferdinand de Rothschild was born in Paris – in the house of his grandfather Salomon von Rothschild, where Napoleon III, the future Emperor of France, was also born.

Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, London

After his Grand Tour through Europe, Horace Walpole acquired one of the last free plots on the banks of the Thames in the genteel district of Twickenham. There stood a small country house, which he had expanded in the Gothic style. At the same time, he built an extensive art collection: “In truth, my collection was already too extensive to be housed modestly,” Walpole admitted.

Villa Kérylos, Southern France

In Greek mythology, “Kérylos” refers to a mythical bird that nests in winter and was considered a bringer of good fortune. Villa Kérylos is a Gesamtkunstwerk (Total Work of Art): Théodore Reinach and his architect Emmanuel Pontremoli met at the 1900 World’s Fair. Together they built the extraordinary Villa in Beaulieu-sur-Mer between 1902 and 1908.

Villa Tugendhat, Czech Republic

With their city villa, the Tugendhats fulfilled a lifelong dream. The client, Grete Tugendhat, later recalled: “I had always wanted a spacious, modern house with clear, simple forms. And my husband was positively horrified by rooms crammed up to the ceiling with little figurines and decorative doilies.”