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Description: | Watercolours were a key part of the founding collections of 1889 and were enhanced in 1892 by the gift of famous collector, John Edward Taylor, including the internationally renowned painting 'The Ancient of Days' by Blake. One of the museum's flagship collections is a selection watercolours by J.M.W.Turner. There are other important works by Gainsborough, Girtin, Alexander Cozens, David Cox, John Robert Cozens and Thomas Hearne. Watercolours acquired in the 20th century include a series of John Robert Cozen's sketchbooks, which record William Beckford's Grand Tour of 1782-3. It is the only known example in the world. The museum holds a rare 18th century oil on paper by Alexander Cozens, one of only five known to exist in the world. The museum's collection of this artist and his son John Robert is the largest and finest outside London. Recent acquisitions include Alexander Cozen's oil sketch 'Setting Sun', acquired in 1997.The works by Thomas Girtin include the only known watercolour sketchbook by this artist, which contains compositions for some of his best known work. There is also a late 18th century oil portrait of Thomas Girtin by John Opie, one of only two in the country. The museum holds works by all major artists connected with the pre-Raphaelite movement including works by Millais, Burne-Jones, Ford Madox Brown and John Ruskin and Rossetti such as his pastel drawing 'La Donna della Finestra' (1870). There is also a good collection of Old Master drawings and an important group of French 19th- and early 20th-century drawings, including some fine Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Regional and provincial schools are represented by a few works such as watercolours from the Norwich & Bristol Schools.The print collection covers the history of printmaking in Europe from the 15th century onwards and includes the Gallery's key 20th-century and contemporary Continental European and American art. It is the largest and most important print collection in the north of England and also of national importance. The British prints from the 17th century to present day account for half of the collection and include one of the most complete collections of Hogarth's work outside London. Other important work of the 17th-19th century includes an extensive collection of British portrait mezzotints and landscape prints and a complete set of early states of Turner's 'Liber Studiorum.'The George Thomas Clough collections donated in the 1920s form part of the museum's important range of Italian, Northern Renaissance and 17th century works. This includes a sizeable group of work by Piranesi, associated with the Grand Tour. European 19th & 20th century prints are less extensive but do include a small but significant group of prints by Northern European artists such as Manet, Renoir, Gaugin, Cézanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, Bonnard, Picasso, Léger, Matisse, Munch and Ernst.The collection of late 19th-early 20th century British wood engravings representing nearly every major artist is of national importance and among the best in the county. There are also Japanese woodblock prints from the 18th century to the present day, a small number of American prints, and a small collection of books, printmaking tools and plates.The Modern Art collection includes works on paper, oil paintings and sculpture from c.1880 to present, the core part being the group of drawings representing the major UK art movements, especially neo-Romanticism. European artists such as Cézanne, Van Gogh, Pissarro and Picasso are all well represented. There is also an important group of works by Walter Sickert who was particularly associated with the Camden Town Group and also works by Degas and Whistler. The small collection of 20th century oil paintings compliments the collection of drawings by the same or comparable artists such as Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon, Roger Hilton and Paul Nash. There are also 2 abstract gouaches by Winifrid Nicholson (1933) influenced by Mondrain. 20th century British art includes pop art such as Peter Blake's 'Got A Girl' (1960-61) recognised as one of the major images of the British Pop Art movement. There is also a strong section on Surrealism in the collection. The 20th sculpture collection is small but is being developed to compliment works in other parts of the collection by artists such as Paolozzi, Moore, Hepworth, Frink, Armitage and Chadwick.
The fine art collections include drawings, watercolours, oils & sculpture. Of greatest significance are the works on paper and especially the internationally recognised collection of pre-1880 drawings and watercolours. The collection is strongest in English watercolours predominantly of the 18th and 19th centuries and especially landscapes. | Subjects: | Watercolours Fine Art Prints | Source: | Cornucopia - Discovering UK Collections | Address: | The University of Manchester
Oxford Road Manchester Lancashire United Kingdom,
M15 6ER | FAX: | +44 (0)161 275 7451 | Telephone: | +44 (0)161 275 7450 | Identifier: | oai:www.cornucopia.org.uk:2347 | Go to resource |
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