Via York's rich heritage, culture and history, museums and galleries across the city are abundant in collections and displays from centuries gone by. One particular gallery has gained praise in the broadsheets for its immeasurable collection of artwork. The York Art Gallery has been featured in the Telegraph's “10 best family museums." We can assure you that all members of the family will be captivated by the artwork held within the gallery!
Since 1879, the City Art Gallery has opened the eyes of York's citizens to art stemming from different styles and nations, let alone separate time periods. All forms of art are shown in their entirety, whether you're talking about fine art, sculpture or pottery. Not much more than a year ago, the gallery went under an £8 million renovation; the results are of course inscrutable. Two new galleries committed to achievements in British pottery and a ground floor set of galleries have been erected, as well as the opening of a delectable restaurant ran by none other than cafe No 8.
With regards to fine art, over seventeen thousand drawings, watercolours and prints on paper are kept within the gallery, a notable fraction depicting the landscape of York itself. Infamous artists such as Thomas Rowlandson and William Etty have work on display. In reference to paintings, pieces date all the way through the middle ages, particularly between the 14th and 19th centuries. Local and regional pieces are in rich supply, particularly in reference to the Elizabethan and Victorian periods. The former holds strong in terms of portraits, whilst with regards to Victorian pieces, most encompass a depiction or portrayal of a scene.
In terms of pottery, no exhibit has a more considerable arsenal of British works. Since the renovation that took place in 2015, the gallery has become home to the Centre of Ceramic Arts (COCA). COCA is a new space situated within the two new galleries of the building, dedicated to displaying the unfathomable collection of British ceramics contained within.
The Gallery also holds an incredibly impressive collection of works from the aforementioned William Etty. Etty was a man of York born and bred, who became prominent in still life and nude pieces! A painting that has gained a particularly significant amount of notoriety is Cleopatra's arrival to Cilicia”. Another acclaimed artist resonating within the gallery in Henry Rothschild, who in 1945 set up the Primavera Gallery, which is now situated in Cambridge. The Primavera Gallery is home to an eclectic range of contemporary British art, and so to obtain works of the founder is a marvellous achievement!
We hope you all make your way to the gallery and immerse yourselves in the spectacular collections at hand! Be sure to let us know how you're experience has gone also!
