A Century of British Art

 Following the deaths of Annie and Merton Russell-Cotes, founders of the art gallery and museum in the late nineteenth century, in 1920 and 1921, the question arose about how to carry on the collection. The first curator, Richard Quick, who was there from 1921-32 did not actively buy works, but received donations and bequests. Norman Silvester, his successor who curated from 1932-57 encouraged contemporary art through an extensive exhibition programme through which he bought new work.

He especially focussed on the local art scene led by the Bournemouth Arts Club, Contemporary Arts Society and War Artists' Advisory Committee. The exhibition A Century of British Art celebrates the last hundred years of collecting. The nine paintings on loan from Swindon Museum and Art Gallery were included in a previous exhibition in 1957, some are featured here, and a full list of the original paintings in the exhibition appears in the catalogue photographed on the Friends' blog. Here's the title page:

The list of those originally loaned is very interesting, at the top of the page there's 'Bacon' written down, I wonder if they were wondering whether to ask for the 2 Frances Bacon's Swindon once owned?

The current exhibition at Russell-Cotes has a great selection of their works as well as the nine Swindon Museum and Art Gallery pictures. This is what they say at R-C:

I spoke to the room invigilator when I arrived explaining that I had come from Swindon to look at the works, and that since Swindon Museum and Art Gallery had been closed since 18.3.20 we couldn't see our collections, and this was one way of seeing nine at once. She wasn't listening because she said she didn't realise Swindon had a museum and art gallery and that she must visit. I impressed on her the fact that there was nothing to visit, the museum and art gallery remains closed, and not to come. I took a few photos of the Swindon Collection paintings and some others:

They look very good, hard to get the Nicholson because of the light.

Above 'Chalk Cliffs near Swanage' 1931 by Leslie Ward, watercolour on paper

Above 'Cooling Towers III' 1957, oil on board by Prunella Clough probably painted at West ham B Power Station in Caning Town.

These linocuts on paper are by Joy Shepherd, entitled 'Beach Family I-III', 1980s. Shepherd was made an honorary member of Bournemouth Arts club in 2017 for her contribution to the club over the last fifty plus years.

With thanks to Dr Gill Clarke, Guest Curator of this exhibition.