Bowes Museum facts for kids
The Bowes Museum is a fantastic art gallery located in the town of Barnard Castle. This town is in County Durham, a beautiful area in northern England. The museum was specially built to hold the amazing art collection of John Bowes and his wife, Joséphine Benoîte Coffin-Chevallier. It first opened its doors in 1892.
Inside, you'll find famous paintings by artists like El Greco, Francisco Goya, and Canaletto. But it's not just paintings! The museum also has many beautiful decorative items. These include ceramics, textiles, and tapestries. You can also see old clocks, historical costumes, and local historical objects. One of the most famous items is an 18th-century Silver Swan. This incredible automaton (a moving mechanical toy) preens itself, looks around, and even appears to catch and swallow a fish!
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Discovering the Bowes Museum
The Bowes Museum was designed to be a public art gallery. It was a dream project for John Bowes and his wife, Joséphine Benoîte Coffin-Chevallier. Sadly, both of them passed away before the museum officially opened in 1892.
John Bowes was the son of a powerful family. His father was the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. However, John did not inherit his father's title. This was because he was considered illegitimate under Scottish law at the time.
Building the Museum
Two architects worked together to design the museum. One was a French architect named Jules Pellechet. The other was John Edward Watson from Newcastle. The building itself is very grand and detailed. It has large windows, columns, and special roofs. This style is known as French Second Empire. It looks like a grand building you might see in a major French city.
When it was described in 1901, people said it was huge. It was about 500 feet long and 50 feet high. They said its contents were "priceless." It held unique items, amazing paintings, and a collection of old china. There were also beautiful jewels and many other rare art objects.
Not everyone loved the building's style. Some thought it looked too big for the town of Barnard Castle. But it definitely made the town famous around the world!
Starting the Collection
Construction on the museum building began in 1869. John Bowes and his wife left money to help the museum continue. They also left behind their incredible collection. This included about 800 paintings. In total, their collection of European fine and decorative arts had about 15,000 pieces!
Modern Updates and Exhibitions
The Bowes Museum started a big renovation project in 2005. Many improvements have been made since then. Visitors can now enjoy better facilities like a shop, cafe, and restrooms.
New galleries have also been created. These include a new Fashion & Textile gallery. There is also a Silver gallery and an English Interiors gallery. The three main art galleries on the second floor were also updated.
The museum often hosts special temporary exhibitions. These shows feature works by other famous artists. Past exhibitions have included art by Monet, Raphael, and Turner.
The Lost Van Dyck Painting
In 2013, something very exciting happened at the museum. The BBC announced that a painting found there was a previously unknown work. It was a Portrait of Olivia Porter by the famous artist Anthony van Dyck.
An art historian named Dr. Bendor Grosvenor discovered it. He saw the painting online on the Your Paintings website. At first, the painting was covered in layers of old varnish and dirt. It had not been cleaned or restored. People originally thought it was just a copy of a painting. They valued it at only a few thousand pounds.
After the painting was carefully cleaned and restored, its true beauty was revealed. Christopher Brown, a director from the Ashmolean Museum, confirmed it was indeed a real van Dyck. This was a very exciting discovery for the museum!
Images for kids
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Attributed to Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, Portrait of a Lady
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Anselm van Hulle, Family Portrait Group (1640–1650)
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Claudio Coello, La reina madre doña Mariana de Austria, circa 1687
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Corrado Giaquinto, Venus Presenting Arms to Aeneas, 1750
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Francesco Trevisani, Portrait of Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, 1700
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Paul Jean Baptiste Lazerges, Still Life with Crabs and Bottle
