US envoy adorns London abode with Monet and Cézanne artworks

New American Ambassador to Britain Showcases Personal Art Collection at Winfield House

Warren Stephens, the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, has made a unique statement with his choice of decor at Winfield House in Regent's Park. Unlike his predecessors, Stephens has opted to display his own art collection, rather than relying on loans from the State Department's "Art in Embassies" program.

Stephens, a financier from Little Rock, Arkansas, and a long-time Republican donor, has amassed an impressive collection of Impressionist works. Forbes estimates his fortune to be $3.5 billion, a portion of which has been invested in art.

The art at Winfield House includes masterpieces by Monet, Cézanne, and Pissarro. One of the most striking pieces is Monet's Effet de soleil couchant sur la Seine à Port-Villez (1883), which hangs above the drawing-room mantelpiece. Other notable works include a Renoir, a Degas, and several Cézannes.

Winfield House, a 1930s neo-Georgian mansion, has long been a stage for American soft power. Its gilt rooms and manicured lawns offer guests a familiar backdrop of 19th-century masterpieces.

Stephens' decision to display his own art collection stands out, as past envoys have used art to set the tone of their diplomacy. The Annenbergs, for instance, displayed Van Goghs, while Jane Hartley favoured post-war American masters.

Stephens' grandfather served with the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War I, and his family's ancestry can be traced back to England and Scotland. His wife, Harriet, accompanied him to London this summer.

Stephens is a regular at Donald Trump's Turnberry resort in Scotland. He contributed $4 million to Trump's 2021 inauguration festivities.

In addition to his business ventures, Stephens is the CEO of Stephens Inc, an investment firm. He also owns a private golf course, the Alotian Club, in Arkansas.

There are no publicly available details regarding the art collection owned by Warren Stephens. The art at Winfield House may not be permanent fixtures, as it is privately owned. However, for now, it provides a unique and personal touch to the historic Winfield House.