Feature: England's exotic Waddesdon Manor showcases art treasures of Rothschild family

Waddesdon Manor, a British country house displaying some of the Rothschild family's outstanding art collections, has become a popular tourist attraction for its exotic architecture and centuries-old treasures.

Waddesdon Manor, located in the idyllic village of Waddesdon in Buckinghamshire, was built in the 1870s and 1880s by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, a member of the prominent Rothschild family of bankers.

Following the Neo-Renaissance style of a French chateau, the manor was built to showcase Ferdinand's collection of art treasures and to entertain his guests.

Initially created to delight the small circle of Baron Ferdinand's friends, the property now attracts more than 300,000 visitors a year, becoming one of the most popular manors in the country.

Waddesdon Manor combines the 18th century French decorative arts and various English portraits and Dutch paintings with a picturesque Victorian garden reputed for its colorful parterre and aviary.

"The House is so unusual with its 19th century construction and 18th century French interior. Most of the doors, paneling, fireplaces...are from French houses that Ferdinand, when he was building, was able to bring here," Eileen Holland, a guide at the manor, told Xinhua.

"The whole thing is a tremendous work of art, really," she said.

The manor was bequeathed by the Rothschild family to the National Trust in 1957 and is now managed by a family charitable trust under the chairmanship of Lord Rothschild.

In the late 1880s, Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild created a new "Smoking Room" at Waddesdon Manor. The room hosted his "Renaissance Museum" of 16th century and 17th century objects made of precious materials.

Ferdinand bequeathed most of the room's collection to the British Museum, where it was renamed the "Waddesdon Bequest."

From June, two sculptural bedding installations, designed by artist Simon Periton, were placed on the parterre to carry forward the tradition of three-dimensional bedding in the property.

The two designs, named Anarchy Ball and Scalpel, are giant three-dimensional carpet-bedding sculptures echoing the 19th century style employed by Alice de Rothschild, one of the creators of Waddesdon's art world.

"Part of the joy of visiting Waddesdon is its complexity - the diverse historical and architectural layers and elements that make up the building, the grounds, and their history, as well as the eclectic artworks and artifacts that form the house's collection," said Periton.

As one of the most visited historical houses among the National Trust properties, Waddesdon has hosted a wide variety of exhibitions to reflect the collections and the unique history of the house.

A selection of 100 drawings by British sculptor and artist Henry Moore is now on display in the Coach House of the manor.

The exhibition, under the theme of "Henry Moore: From Paper To Bronze", was curated by Sebastiano Barassi of the Henry Moore Foundation and Juliet Carey of Waddesdon Manor. It explores Moore's drawing accomplishments as a prolific and talented draughtsman.

The exhibition, which runs until October 25, showcases some of Moore's best known two-dimensional works, including many rarely exhibited drawings throughout his lengthy career. Endit