Sir Matthew Smith 1879-1959
4 November 2009 – 31 January 2010
Paintings, drawings, watercolours and sketchbooks
drawn from the artist’s extensive studio collection. This
exhibition marks the 50th anniversary of the artist’s death
and Guildhall Art Gallery’s own 10th anniversary in its
present building, opened by Her Majesty the Queen in November
1999.
Sir Matthew Smith was one of the most significant British
painters of the 20th century. A shy and self-effacing man, Smith’s
mature work was sensuous, luscious and decorative. Acclaimed by his
contemporaries, including Augustus John and Jacob Epstein, it has
continued to influence succeeding succeeding generations of
artists.
Smith left the contents of his studio to his friend and model
Mary Keene, who in 1974 presented 175 oil paintings and more than
1,000 works on paper to the City of London. Including rapid
on-the-spot sketches, hundreds of studies from the nude model,
unfinished compositions and paintings from which he did not want to
be parted, the collection offers a unique insight into the artist’s
practice.
Spotlight on Conservation
5 November 2009 - 7 February 2010
Recent projects by conservation interns at
Guildhall Art Gallery
Alison Stock worked on the restoration of a 17th century mayoral
portrait of Sir Robert Clayton by John Riley (1646-91). Following
her painstaking cleaning of the painting, its appearance is greatly
improved. The project has also revealed clues about how the
painting was made, shedding light on the context of portraiture in
England in the late 17th century.
Claire Pearson has been working on two 19th century gilded
frames belonging to watercolours by Sir John Gilbert. Though made
of similar materials, they presented different conservation
problems, requiring sensitive treatment to allow them to hang
together. The framed watercolours will feature in a major
exhibition in the Gallery in September 2010.
Last modified: 12 January 2010
| Author: Rosalina Banfield
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