Cartwright Hall facts for kids

Cartwright Hall, a beautiful art gallery in Bradford

Cartwright Hall and its lovely grounds

Cartwright Hall is a fantastic art gallery located in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It's about a mile from the city center in an area called Manningham. This amazing building was created thanks to a generous gift of £40,000 from Samuel Lister. It's named after Edmund Cartwright. The gallery first opened its doors in 1904. At first, it showed art borrowed from other galleries and private collections. Later, it bought its own permanent collection of art from the Victorian and Edwardian periods. This was possible with money raised from the Bradford Exhibition in 1904.

About Cartwright Hall

Cartwright Hall sits inside Lister Park, offering wonderful views of the city. Many people think Cartwright Hall shows off a special building style called "Bradford Baroque." This style is common in Bradford. Interestingly, the same architects who designed Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum also designed Cartwright Hall. Their names were Sir John W. Simpson and E.J. Milner Allen. They also used the Baroque style for the Glasgow museum.

What You Can See Inside

This gallery was built just for art. It holds many permanent artworks. You can see paintings by "Old Masters" (famous artists from long ago). There are also British paintings and sculptures from the 20th century. Cartwright Hall also hosts special exhibitions every two years. These shows feature new and old art by artists from Bradford, across the UK, and even from other countries.

Art from Around the World

Since the mid-1980s, the Bradford museum group has been collecting art that connects to the different cultures of people who moved to Bradford after World War II. This includes modern South Asian Art. You can find beautiful Islamic calligraphy (fancy writing). There are also textiles decorated in the phulkari style. Plus, you can see modern Sikh art, like a portrait of Guru Nanak, an important spiritual leader.

Notable Artworks and People

• The gallery has some special stained-glass panels called "Tristram and Isoude." These were made by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. in 1862. Cartwright Hall got them in 1917. Now, you can always see them at Cliffe Castle Museum in Keighley. This museum is also managed by Bradford Museums and Galleries.

Who Works There

• Nima Poovaya-Smith was a curator at Cartwright Hall. A curator is someone who looks after the art collection and plans exhibitions.

See Also

• Bradford District Museums & Galleries
• Listed buildings in Bradford (Manningham Ward)