Description: | The fine art collection has been developed around the original 21 paintings bequeathed by Alderman John Chisolm Towner upon his death in 1920 and now contains over 2,000 works, largely from the 19th and 20th centuries. There are around 120 European and British paintings dating from the 16th to 18th century. The 1976 Irene Law Bequest in 1976 introduced a number of 16th and 17th century European artists to the collection such as Henri met de Bies, Joseph van Aken, David Vinckebooms, Geeraert van Haarlem, Michiel van Musscher, Daniel Mytens, Pieter van de Velde, Circle of Jacob Huysmans and Circle of Frans Snyders. In addition the collection holds landscapes by Joseph Wright of Derby and Thomas Jones, a group of works by Eastbourne born John Hamilton Mortimer, Prints by Pierre Dieuet, Francisco Goya, Albrecht Durer and others. The larger collection (1200 items) of Victorian and 19th Century Art includes an important group of George and Isaac Cruikshank caricatures, the Towner Bequest of Victorian landscape and genre painting, a collection of topographical views of Eastbourne and Sussex including a large group of work by Louisa Paris, a small collection of fine quality miniatures by artists such as Henry Bone, Jean-Antoine Laurent, Pierre-Louis Bouvier, William Essex and William Ross and works by William Callow, Lawrence Alma Tadema, Henry La Thangue and Edward Stott. The Modern British Collection of 1100 items features works by major 20th century British artists including Edward Bawden, Normal Blarney, David Bomberg, Edward Burra, Vanessa Bell, Sandra Blow, Cecil Collins, Robert Colquhoun, Alan Davie, Elizabeth Frink, Henn Gaudier-Brezska, William Gear, Mark Gertler, Eric Gill, Duncan Grant, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Patrick Heron, Roger Hilton, Ivon Hitchens, Frances Hodgkins, Peter Lanyon, Robert Medley, Henry Moore, Cedrin Morris, Alfred Munnings, Victor Pasmore, William Scott, Walter Sickert, Matthew Smith, Ruskin Spear, Graham Sutherland, Keith Vaughan, Edward Wadsworth, Alfred Wallils, Carel Weight, Christopher Wood and Bryan Wynter. 20th Century European Art includes prints by Pablo Picasso, Sidney Noaln, Hans Hartung, Corneille, Sergio Gonzalez, Marcel Chirnogan, Jack Coutu, Tadek Beutlich, Leon Piesowocki and paintings by Helmet Kolle and others.
The South East Collection of Contemporary Art has been acquired since 1978 by Eastbourne Borough Council and the Regional Arts Board (South East Arts) and represents key artists from the South East. The Gallery has also acquired works through the Contemporary Art Society's Special Collections Scheme which funds 15 regional galleries in England to purchase major contemporary art by leading artists.
The Towner holds a nationally important collection of work by Eastbourne's renowned early 20th century British artist and designer, Eric Ravilious, including major watercolours and sketches, Wedgwood ceramics, wood engravings and lithographs. It is the b |