Housed in a listed Georgian townhouse, the rather esoteric Estorick is the only gallery in Britain devoted to Italian art, with a strong emphasis on futurismo (futurism), an early 20th-century artistic movement centred in Italy that responded to the pace of technological development. The collection of paintings, drawings, etchings and sculpture was amassed by American writer and art dealer Eric Estorick and his wife, Salome Dessau. The permanent collection includes works by greats such as Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, Gino Severini, Amedeo Modigliani and Carlo Carrà.
Well-conceived and fascinating special exhibitions have included many 20th-century art movements and lesser-known artists from Italy and beyond. In addition to its six galleries spread over three floors, it has a garden cafe, a small shop and an extensive library of 3000 books.