Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery
Encyclopedia
Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery is a purpose built Victorian Art Gallery in Wednesbury in the West Midlands. It is notable for its Ruskin Pottery
collection and for hosting the first public display of the Stuckism
art movement.
architects Wood and Kendrick and built by Henry Wilcock of Wolverhampton
. Four panels on the buildings face show the heads of Sir Christopher Wren to represent Architecture, Sir Joshua Reynolds for Art, John Flaxman for Sculpture, and Sir Isaac Newton for Science. Two busts sit in recesses above the entrance, of Alderman Williams and Alderman Lloyd, both mayors of Wednesbury and chairmen of the Art Gallery Committee. Following the Second World War, the museum was used by the council as offices, but returned to use as a museum in 1972, modernised and renovated.
. The pottery on display exemplifies numerous types of glaze
, including Bleu Soufflé, Lustre, Flambé and Crystalline
.
, Staffordshire
during the Second World War. Only some of the paintings were returned to public display when the war ended. The collection now consists of fifty four paintings, following a large sale by Wednesbury Borough Council in 1948.
classes.
Ruskin Pottery
The Ruskin Pottery was an English pottery studio founded in 1898 by Edward R. Taylor, the first Principal of Birmingham School of Art, to be run by his son, William Howson Taylor, formerly a student there. It was named after the artist, writer and social thinker John Ruskin, as the Taylors agreed...
collection and for hosting the first public display of the Stuckism
Stuckism
Stuckism is an international art movement founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson to promote figurative painting in opposition to conceptual art...
art movement.
Building
The building was built in 1891 to house a collection of paintings, drawings and watercolours donated by Mrs Edwin Richards on behalf of her late husband, and cost £5821 to build. It was designed by West BromwichWest Bromwich
West Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 London-to-Birkenhead road. West Bromwich is part of the Black Country...
architects Wood and Kendrick and built by Henry Wilcock of Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
. Four panels on the buildings face show the heads of Sir Christopher Wren to represent Architecture, Sir Joshua Reynolds for Art, John Flaxman for Sculpture, and Sir Isaac Newton for Science. Two busts sit in recesses above the entrance, of Alderman Williams and Alderman Lloyd, both mayors of Wednesbury and chairmen of the Art Gallery Committee. Following the Second World War, the museum was used by the council as offices, but returned to use as a museum in 1972, modernised and renovated.
The Ruskin Pottery collection
Ruskin Pottery was made in Sandwell, and is sought by collectors globally. The pottery on display exemplifies numerous types of glaze
Ceramic glaze
Glaze is a layer or coating of a vitreous substance which has been fired to fuse to a ceramic object to color, decorate, strengthen or waterproof it.-Use:...
, including Bleu Soufflé, Lustre, Flambé and Crystalline
.
The Richards Gallery
The gallery was originally built to display a large collection of works owned by Wednesbury residents Edwin and Mary Richards, residents in Wednesbury. The couple were prolific collectors of art and especially favoured landscapes. In her will Mary donated her and her husbands collection of paintings to the town of Wednesbury. These are displayed in the Richards Gallery. The works were stored in subterranean caves in KinverKinver
Kinver is a large village in South Staffordshire district, Staffordshire, England. It is in the far south-west of the county, at the end of the narrow finger of land surrounded by the counties of Shropshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands. The nearest towns are Stourbridge in the West...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
during the Second World War. Only some of the paintings were returned to public display when the war ended. The collection now consists of fifty four paintings, following a large sale by Wednesbury Borough Council in 1948.
Old toys and games
This gallery stores toys and games from Victorian to 20th century. Toy handling activities are provided for Key Stage 1Key Stage 1
Key Stage 1 is the legal term for the two years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 1 and Year 2, when pupils are aged between 5 and 7. This Key Stage normally covers pupils during infant school, although in some cases this might form part of a first or...
classes.