Paintings from London's Smaller Art Collections Quiz

Answer: Franz Hals

This well-known portrait can be found in the Wallace Collection, in Manchester Square. The title was not given to it by Hals (1580-1666), but became attached to the picture when it was first exhibited by Sir Richard Wallace in the 1870s. It is not even particularly accurate, since the cavalier isn't actually laughing: more of a smirk really.

Answer: Jean-Honore Fragonard

Another picture from the Wallace Collection, Fragonard's (1732-1806) painting epitomises the frivolity and exuberance of the French Ancien Regime (or perhaps its decadence, depending on your point of view). In either case, the situation pictured is decidedly scandalous: the man on the left, lounging on a bed of roses, is looking up the skirt of the woman on the swing, who is suggestively kicking off her shoe. To make matters worse, the man on the right, pushing the swing, is said to be a priest...

Answer: Rembrandt van Rijn

Moving up to North London, this can be found in Kenwood House, on the edge of Hampstead Heath. It is probably Rembrandt's (1606-69) greatest self-portrait, although it is only one of more than 70 that he painted throughout his career.

Answer: Jan Vermeer

Another one from Kenwood House. There are few enough genuine paintings by Vermeer (1632-75) in the world as it is (no more than 34 confident attributions is the usual figure), so this alone makes a trip to Kenwood essential for art lovers. But there are pictures by Hals, Van Dyck, Turner, Reynolds and Gainsborough as well - not to mention the Rembrandt in question 3.

Answer: Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Back in central London, this picture is one of the great collection of Impressionist art in the Courtauld Institute Gallery, housed in Somerset House, just off the Strand. Renoir (1841-1919) exhibited this painting in the First Impressionist Exhibition in 1874. The man is his brother, Edmond; the woman is a model named Nini.

Answer: Edouard Manet

This was the last painting to be completed by Manet (1832-83), and is another of the Courtauld Gallery's impressionist masterpieces.

Answer: Canaletto

Giovanni Antonio Canale (1697-1768), to give him his full name, painted a number of views showing the Riva degli Schiavoni, but this is perhaps the finest. It can be found in Sir John Soane's Museum in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Soane (1753-1837) was an architect and collector, who designed this house to live in and to house his collection of antiquities and art. On his death, it became a museum.

Answer: William Hogarth

Also in Sir John Soane's Museum, this is in fact a series of eight pictures by Hogarth (1697-1764), illustrating the decline and fall of a foolish youth, from coming into his inheritance to ending in the madhouse.

Answer: John Singer Sargent

Best known for his society portraits, this uncharacteristic painting by Sargent (1856-1925) is one of the most haunting images of the First World War. It shows a line of soldiers, their eyes bandaged, victims of a mustard gas attack. This picture is in the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth Road.

Answer: Sir Anthony van Dyck

This enormous equestrian portrait was originally owned by George Gordon, Lord Byron, but is now in the Royal Collection, and can be seen in the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace. The Gallery exhibits some of the greatest works of art collected by the Royal Family over the centuries.