Paul Delaroche was a hugely popular painter during his lifetime, first making his name with a series of historical scenes which enjoyed great acclaim at the Paris Salon. His renown extended far beyond his native country. Honoured by almost every major academy, his pictures were sought by collectors in Britain, Germany, and Russia.

One of his British patrons, Richard Seymour Conway (1800-1870), 4th Marquis of Hertford, acquired ten of his oil paintings and two watercolours. This group, one of the most extensive outside France, is in The Wallace Collection, which houses Lord Hertford's collections in what was once his London residence. Curator Stephen Duffy discusses in detail the twelve works, and in an introductory essay examines the life and carreer of the artist, on whom there will be also an exhibition at the National Gallery, London, 2010.