An appeal has been launched to bring a rare historic painting back to Strawberry Hill House for the first time.

Strawberry Hill House is aiming to raise £85,000 to acquire South East View of Strawberry Hill House by Johann Heinrich Müntz, a work dating from around 1755–58.

The painting, commissioned by Horace Walpole, captures the Gothic villa at a pivotal moment in its history, just before major additions in 1759 transformed it into the iconic building recognised today.

It is one of only two known oil paintings of the house by Müntz, with the other held at the Lewis Walpole Library in the United States.

More than a simple record, the artwork offers a glimpse into the creation of Strawberry Hill itself. At the time, Müntz was living at the house as Walpole's artist in residence, contributing to its evolving design and helping shape what would become a defining example of early Gothic Revival architecture.

The painting is currently on short-term loan and is now on display in the Red Bedchamber at Strawberry Hill House, where visitors can view it as part of general admission.

Despite being painted for Walpole and historically kept at his London home on Berkeley Street, the artwork has never previously been displayed at Strawberry Hill itself.

Supporters say acquiring the piece would reunite an important part of the house's history with the place it was created to depict.

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Two donors have pledged to match contributions pound-for-pound, doubling the impact of donations until the £85,000 target is reached.

Dr Silvia Davoli, Senior Curator at Strawberry Hill House, said: "Strawberry Hill was conceived as a complete work of art, where architecture, interiors, landscape and collections were designed to speak to one another.

"This painting is not simply a depiction of the house, but part of the creative process that shaped it. Bringing it back would restore a missing piece of that story."

For more information about the appeal visit the Strawberry Hill House website.

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