DOI Heft:
No. 285 (December 1916)
DOI Artikel:Torcy, Abel: Modern arts in Leeds: the collection of Mr. Sam Wilson
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24575#0119
Modern Art in Leeds
M
ODERN ART IN LEEDS: THE decorative value. In an article contributed to
COLLECTION OF MR. SAM this magazine seven years ago (November 1909)
WILSON. BY ABEL TORCY Mrs' Macklm' wno hacl a s^ort ^me previously
paid a visit to the master sculptor at Bruges,
Although Leeds ranks as one of the most speaks of this monumental che.minee, on which
important and at the same time one of the Gilbert was still working at the time of her visit,
wealthiest cities of England, it would be difficult as one of his most important productions,
to pretend that as an artistic centre it has attained Although Brangwyn is only represented in the
any marked prominence. Some excellent libraries Wilson Collection by a couple of sketches and
are to be found there, but no author of any a canvas of moderate dimensions, this master
renown ; one can hear some good music there, displays such qualities of style, such imaginative
but I am not sure that it would be possible to find inventiveness and such vigour of facture that it
a single composer. As to the museum, in spite of would be not at all an exaggeration to pronounce
the intelligent activity of Mr. Frank Rutter, who him the greatest lyric painter of modern days,
since his installation as curator has done his best Every foreigner who takes an interest in English
to elevate the taste of the citizens, it is, leaving out art is astonished that here in his own country
of account a few works, not at all worthy of a city homage is not paid to him as one of the two
whose commerce and industry have given it a place authentic geniuses of contemporary art—the other
among the first in the kingdom. Exhibitions of being the great French sculptor, Auguste Rodin,
pictures are by no means frequent, and are gener- That certainly is how he is regarded on the
ally of inferior interest, and private collections are Continent, and perhaps before long it will be
both few in number and on the whole rather poor in the opinion here also, fori do not know of any
quality. Among these, never-
theless, there is one in which
we find some of the greatest
names in contemporary
English art represented—
I refer to the collection of
Mr. Sam Wilson.
It is to Mr. Wilson that
the City Art Gallery at Leeds
owes the admirable decora-
tive panels by Mr. Frank
Brangwyn which in 1906
ornamented the British
Section at the Venice Ex-
hibition. With the Sadler
Collection, the Brangwyns of
the Fulford Collection and
the celebrated bronze fire-
place of Alfred Gilbert these
panels constitute the chief
things of artistic importance
to be seen in Leeds. This
fireplace, worthy of the
palace of a Medici, is the
most notable item in the
collection of Mr. Wilson,
and to describe it adequately
would require a special
article and numerous
detailed illustrations of the
figures, columns and orna-
ments which give it high "romantic landscape" by james pryde
LXIX. No. 285—December 1916 109
M
ODERN ART IN LEEDS: THE decorative value. In an article contributed to
COLLECTION OF MR. SAM this magazine seven years ago (November 1909)
WILSON. BY ABEL TORCY Mrs' Macklm' wno hacl a s^ort ^me previously
paid a visit to the master sculptor at Bruges,
Although Leeds ranks as one of the most speaks of this monumental che.minee, on which
important and at the same time one of the Gilbert was still working at the time of her visit,
wealthiest cities of England, it would be difficult as one of his most important productions,
to pretend that as an artistic centre it has attained Although Brangwyn is only represented in the
any marked prominence. Some excellent libraries Wilson Collection by a couple of sketches and
are to be found there, but no author of any a canvas of moderate dimensions, this master
renown ; one can hear some good music there, displays such qualities of style, such imaginative
but I am not sure that it would be possible to find inventiveness and such vigour of facture that it
a single composer. As to the museum, in spite of would be not at all an exaggeration to pronounce
the intelligent activity of Mr. Frank Rutter, who him the greatest lyric painter of modern days,
since his installation as curator has done his best Every foreigner who takes an interest in English
to elevate the taste of the citizens, it is, leaving out art is astonished that here in his own country
of account a few works, not at all worthy of a city homage is not paid to him as one of the two
whose commerce and industry have given it a place authentic geniuses of contemporary art—the other
among the first in the kingdom. Exhibitions of being the great French sculptor, Auguste Rodin,
pictures are by no means frequent, and are gener- That certainly is how he is regarded on the
ally of inferior interest, and private collections are Continent, and perhaps before long it will be
both few in number and on the whole rather poor in the opinion here also, fori do not know of any
quality. Among these, never-
theless, there is one in which
we find some of the greatest
names in contemporary
English art represented—
I refer to the collection of
Mr. Sam Wilson.
It is to Mr. Wilson that
the City Art Gallery at Leeds
owes the admirable decora-
tive panels by Mr. Frank
Brangwyn which in 1906
ornamented the British
Section at the Venice Ex-
hibition. With the Sadler
Collection, the Brangwyns of
the Fulford Collection and
the celebrated bronze fire-
place of Alfred Gilbert these
panels constitute the chief
things of artistic importance
to be seen in Leeds. This
fireplace, worthy of the
palace of a Medici, is the
most notable item in the
collection of Mr. Wilson,
and to describe it adequately
would require a special
article and numerous
detailed illustrations of the
figures, columns and orna-
ments which give it high "romantic landscape" by james pryde
LXIX. No. 285—December 1916 109