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Abbot Hall Art Gallery facts for kids

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Abbott Hall Art Gallery, Kendal
This amazing building is a Grade I listed building!

Abbot Hall Art Gallery is a special gallery located in Kendal, England. It's a place where you can see many beautiful artworks. The building itself, called Abbot Hall, was built a long time ago in 1759. It was built by Colonel George Wilson.

Before it became an art gallery, Abbot Hall was a grand house. It was even built on the spot where an "Abbot" (a leader from a big church called St Mary's Abbey, York) used to stay when visiting. For many years, the building became quite old and run-down. But in the early 1900s, it was carefully fixed up and turned into the art gallery we know today.

The gallery was closed for a while for some big updates by Lakeland Arts. It reopened on May 20, 2023, with a new art show by Julie Brook.

The Gallery Building

Abbot Hall was first built as a large town house. It was later changed into an art gallery between 1957 and 1962. The building is made of stone and has a classic look. It features special details like quoins (corner stones) and a decorative cornice under the roof.

The main part of the building has two floors and a basement. The front, facing east, is very balanced with seven sections. Steps lead up to a round main doorway. This doorway has fancy carvings and a special fan-shaped window above it. On either side of the main entrance, there are curved bay windows that stick out. The outer parts of the building are a bit lower and have one floor, with two round-headed windows and an oval window above them.

Amazing Art Collection

Clifford Family
Lady Anne Clifford and her family in The Great Picture

Abbot Hall Art Gallery has a really important collection of paintings. It has many works by George Romney, who was a famous painter. You can also see some of his sketchbooks and drawings.

The gallery also has beautiful paintings from the 1700s, including two views of Windermere by Philip James de Loutherbourg. Another local artist, Daniel Gardner, also has important works here.

You'll find a big collection of watercolours, mostly from the late 1700s and early 1800s. Many great watercolour artists are shown, like John Robert Cozens, David Cox, Peter De Wint, John Sell Cotman, John Varley, and Edward Lear. There are also two famous watercolours by J. M. W. Turner: The Passage of Mount St. Gotthard and Windermere (from 1821).

In 2011, a large painting called The Great Picture was put on display. It shows Lady Anne Clifford and her family.

The gallery also has a lot of drawings and watercolours by John Ruskin. He was a famous art critic and writer from the Victorian period who lived in the Lake District.

The gallery's modern collection mainly focuses on paintings. However, it also has sculptures by well-known artists like Barbara Hepworth, Jean Arp, and Elisabeth Frink. You can also see art by Ben Nicholson, Kurt Schwitters, David Hockney, LS Lowry, and many others.

If you like books, you might enjoy the display about the English writer Arthur Ransome. His desk, typewriter, and other items are on show. The gallery is also the official home of The Arthur Ransome Society.

Past Exhibitions

Abbot Hall Art Gallery has hosted many exciting art shows over the years. Here are some of the past exhibitions:

Exhibitions in 2019

Exhibitions in 2018

Exhibitions in 2013

Exhibitions in 2012

Exhibitions in 2011

  • ARTIST ROOMS: Richard Long
  • Kitaj: Portraits and Reflections
  • Sheila Fell

Exhibitions in 2010

  • The Loneliness of Lowry
  • Mark Francis: Arena

Exhibitions in 2009

  • David Nash: Drawings and Sculpture
  • Garry Fabian Miller: Time Passage

Exhibitions in 2008

  • Prunella Clough
  • Frank Auerbach Etchings and Drypoints 1954 - 2006
  • Ben Nicholson

Exhibitions in 2007

Exhibitions in 2006

Exhibitions in 2005

Exhibitions in 2004

Exhibitions in 2003

  • Euan Uglow
  • Tony Bevan: Works from Deptford

Exhibitions in 2002

Exhibitions in 2001

Exhibitions in 2000

Exhibitions in 1999

  • Callum Innes
  • Henry Moore - 'Sheep'
  • The St Ives School

Exhibitions in 1998

Exhibitions in 1996

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Abbot Hall Art Gallery para niños

  • Grade I listed buildings in Cumbria
  • Listed buildings in Kendal
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