Manchester Art Gallery

Contents

1. Overview
2. Etymology
3. Cultural Impact

Right, let’s get this over with. You want Wikipedia, but with a bit more… substance. Fine. Don’t expect me to hold your hand through it.

Established in 1823, the Manchester Art Gallery , a public art museum situated on Mosley Street in the heart of Manchester city centre , is a cornerstone of the city’s cultural landscape. For over two centuries, it has been a repository of artistic expression, evolving from its origins as a hub for a learned society to the expansive institution it is today. Its current collection sprawls across three interconnected buildings, a testament to architectural evolution and ambition. Two of these structures bear the distinctive mark of Sir Charles Barry , both recognized for their architectural significance and designated as listed buildings. The third, a more contemporary link between the historic edifices, was the product of an architectural design competition orchestrated by RIBA Competitions , breathing new life into the gallery with its opening in 2002 following a substantial renovation and expansion.

The gallery operates with a commendable commitment to accessibility, offering free entry and maintaining a six-day-a-week schedule, with Mondays reserved for a more contemplative silence. Its collections are not merely extensive, boasting over 25,000 objects of both local and international renown, but also a magnet for visitors. In the year leading up to March 2014, the gallery welcomed a considerable influx of over half a million individuals, underscoring its enduring appeal. For those navigating the city via public transit, the St Peter’s Square and Piccadilly Gardens Metrolink stations provide convenient access.

History

Royal Manchester Institution

The genesis of what is now the Manchester Art Gallery can be traced back to the Royal Manchester Institution , a scholarly society established in 1823. This institution found its home in the very building that now serves as the gallery’s primary exhibition space on Mosley Street . The first acquisition for its burgeoning collection, a portrait titled A Moor by James Northcote , was made in 1827. This particular piece is notable for its subject: the celebrated black actor Ira Aldridge .

After a decade of operation, the Royal Manchester Institution opened its doors to the public, initiating a tradition of regular art exhibitions. Beyond exhibitions, it actively engaged in the acquisition of fine art and the broader promotion of the arts. This dedication continued until 1882, when, by an Act of Parliament, its premises and collections were transferred to the Manchester Corporation , marking the official birth of the Manchester Art Gallery. The terms of this transfer stipulated a significant commitment: £2,000 per annum was to be dedicated to the acquisition of art for the subsequent twenty years. The Gallery Committee embraced this mandate with considerable enthusiasm, and by the close of the 19th century, an impressive collection had been assembled, further enriched by the generous gifts and bequests from Manchester’s affluent industrialists.

A rather more dramatic chapter unfolded on April 3, 1913. In a bold act of protest in support of women’s suffrage in the United Kingdom , three women—Lillian Williamson , Evelyn Manesta , and Annie Briggs—damaged thirteen paintings. Their targets included works by John Everett Millais and George Frederick Watts . While four of the paintings sustained damage from the broken glass, the act itself drew significant attention. Williamson was sentenced to three months imprisonment, and Manesta received a one-month sentence.

Governance

The operational oversight of the gallery falls under Manchester City Galleries, a department within Manchester City Council . This council also manages Platt Hall and facilities in Fallowfield . Alistair Hudson holds the position of director for both Manchester Art Gallery and the Whitworth Art Gallery , operated by the University of Manchester . His joint directorship, initiated in 2018, represents a collaborative effort between the council and the university.

While the council ultimately controls the gallery’s budget, a significant portion of its funding is derived from the Manchester Art Gallery Trust, a registered charity (Number 1048581). This trust plays a crucial role, securing nearly half of the gallery’s required funds through contributions from companies, individuals, and various grant-making organizations. The gallery, for the record, is currently open daily, with an extended evening opening until 9 pm on the first Wednesday of each month.

Architecture

The Manchester Art Gallery is a composite entity, housed within three distinct yet interconnected buildings. The original City Art Gallery building, facing Mosley Street , was constructed between 1824 and 1835 and originally served the Royal Manchester Institution . Designed by Sir Charles Barry in the Greek Ionic style , this edifice is now a Grade I listed structure. It presents as a two-story gallery, meticulously crafted from rusticated ashlar to a rectangular plan, elevated on a substantial plinth . A continuous dentilled cornice conceals the roofline, topped by a simple parapet . The eleven-bay façade is distinguished by two three-bay side ranges and a central, five-bay projecting portico adorned with six imposing Ionic columns. Recessed behind the parapet, an attic level with small windows functions as a lantern illuminating the entrance hall.

The Manchester Athenaeum , another creation of Sir Charles Barry, was erected in 1837. Its acquisition by the Manchester Corporation in 1938 provided much-needed additional space. This building, a Grade II* listed structure, adopts the Italian Palazzo style and fronts onto Princess Street .

The need for a more cohesive and modern exhibition space led to an architectural design competition launched in November 1994, managed by RIBA Competitions . The brief was to refurbish the existing historic gallery and the Athenaeum, while simultaneously linking them with a new structure on the adjacent car park site. The competition garnered significant interest, attracting 132 architectural firms, with six ultimately shortlisted for the final stage. In January 1995, Michael Hopkins and Partners emerged as the victors. The gallery subsequently closed its doors in 1998, to reopen in 2002 after a £35 million overhaul and expansion. This ambitious project, however, was not without its critics. The new extension faced censure, with some deeming it a “gratuitous” detriment to the “splendid and really beautiful interiors of the original building.” Its impact was such that it was awarded the Sir Hugh Casson Award in 2002 for the year’s worst new building.

Collections

The gallery’s fine art collection is a substantial compilation, encompassing over 2,000 oil paintings , 3,000 watercolours and drawings, 250 sculptures, 90 miniatures , and approximately 1,000 prints. Beyond two-dimensional works, the collection extends to over 13,000 objects of decorative art. This includes a diverse array of ceramics, glass, enamels, furniture, metalwork, arms and armour, wallpapers, and even doll houses and related artifacts. The oldest item in this extensive collection is an Egyptian canopic jar , dating back to approximately 1100 BC .

In 1953, the eclectic collection of Thomas Coglan Horsfall from the Manchester Art Museum in Ancoats Hall was integrated into the gallery’s holdings following the museum’s closure.

Manchester Art Gallery particularly excels in its holdings of Victorian art , with a notable emphasis on the works of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood , and a comprehensive collection of Victorian decorative arts .

The gallery also features several significant works by the French impressionist Pierre Adolphe Valette . Valette lived and worked in Manchester during the early 20th century, and his atmospheric depictions of the city’s foggy streets and canals are a compelling part of the collection. In a fascinating juxtaposition, a painting by Paul Cézanne hangs in the same room, its misty French river bridge offering a visual dialogue with Valette’s portrayal of a Manchester bridge shrouded in the pre-Clean Air Act fog. L. S. Lowry , a student of Valette, also shows the influence of impressionism in his work, evident in the gallery where paintings by both artists are displayed together. While the majority of Lowry’s works are housed at The Lowry gallery in Salford, Manchester Art Gallery proudly exhibits Lowry’s 1954 painting Piccadilly Gardens .

Further enriching the museum’s holdings is The Picnic (1908), a piece by the British Impressionist painter Wynford Dewhurst , a Manchester native. The gallery also champions local female artists, with Annie Swynnerton , born in Hulme , represented by 16 paintings, and her contemporary at the Manchester School of Art , Susan Dacre , by 17 paintings.

Beyond paintings, the museum’s collections extend to exquisite examples of glass, silverware, and furniture. Notably, it houses four pieces designed by the prominent Victorian architect and designer William Burges .

In a controversial move in January 2018, the gallery removed John William Waterhouse ’s Hylas and the Nymphs (1896) from display, leaving an empty space to provoke discussion on the representation of women’s bodies. Visitors were invited to share their views on Post-it notes. This action ignited a fervent backlash, with accusations of censorship, puritanism, and political correctness. The museum, “completely taken by surprise by the ferocity of the response,” reinstated the painting after a week’s absence. This incident occurred just two months after an unsuccessful campaign to compel the Metropolitan Museum of Art to remove a painting by Balthus depicting an adolescent girl.