|
Date: |
|
Description: | -A varied collection of art ranging from 17th century Dutch paintings to contemporary works. There are three collections: The Beecroft Collection of 157 works built up by the founder of the gallery, Walter Beecroft, and the Friends of the Beecroft Art Gallery, which consists mainly of Old Masters, with a particular strength in Dutch paintings; the Municipal Collection (additions to the founding collection, acquired from 1953) of 534 works, including sculpture, many with local or Essex connections and with some purchased from the Royal Academy Summer Shows of the 1960's and 1970's; the Sidney Thorpe-Smith Collection of local topographical works, mainly Victorian, bequeathed to the Gallery around 1960 (853 works in oil, watercolour and prints).;The Beecroft Art Gallery houses the large collection of costumes, accessories and textiles belonging to the Southend Museums Service, acquired mainly during the 1970's. It includes some important pieces from the later Victorian period to the mid 20th century. The Thorpe- Smith collection of topographic local views, including paintings, watercolours and prints dating from 1803, showing the area before and after major development took place during the 19th century and later. Highlights include William Anderson (17757-1837 View of the Mouth of the Thames; George Arthur Fripp (1813-1893 Southchurch Beach; Alfred Herbert (c1820-1861) Off the Nore; George Shalders (1826-1873) Afternoon, Hadleigh; William Thornbery Sunrise, Low Tide, Leigh; and Neville Sotheby Pitcher Attack by Moonlight 1942;The Beecroft collections include many fine Old Master paintings, including Dutch and Flemish 17th century landscapes. Other landscapes include George Morland (1762/3 -1804) Winter Landscape. The portrait collection includes a 16th century English School portrait of the Marchioness of Dorset and Adriaen de Vries (1590-1650/2) Portrait of a Gentleman. The Nineteenth Century collections are mainly works by British Artists and include Sir Frank Brangwyn (1867-1956) The Lower Reaches of the Thames (1887); John Constable (1776-1837) The River Stour looking towards Manningtree (1804) and a pencil drawing attributed to Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882) of Fanny Cornforth. Many well known artists of the Twentieth Century are represented including Edward B Seago (1910-1974) Early Morning, September and John Aldridge (1905-1984) The Cart Shed (1957).
- | Source: | Cornucopia - Discovering UK Collections | Address: | The Beecroft
Station Road
Westcliffe -on-Sea Essex | FAX: | 01702 215 631 | Telephone: | 01702 347 418 | Identifier: | oai:www.cornucopia.org.uk:6532 | Go to resource |
|
|