Huddersfield Art Gallery facts for kids
The Huddersfield Art Gallery is a cool place in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, where you can see amazing art. It's currently looked after by Kirklees Council.
Contents
History of the Gallery
The Huddersfield Art Gallery first opened its doors on April 22, 1898. The building you see in the picture was built later, in 1937. It officially opened as both a library and an art gallery in 1940. The gallery closed in 2020 because the town centre is getting a big makeover. The plan is to create a new "Cultural Heart" for the town, which will include a brand new art gallery!
What You Can See: The Collections
The gallery has a huge collection of over 700 paintings. Most of these are by British artists, from the 1800s right up to today. Some famous artists whose work you might see include L. S. Lowry, William Orpen, John Atkinson Grimshaw, Frank Auerbach, and Henry Moore. There are also many paintings by talented local artists from the area.
The Famous Francis Bacon Painting
One of the most special paintings in the gallery is by a famous artist named Francis Bacon. It's called Figure Study II. This painting was the very first work by Francis Bacon to be bought by a public art gallery in the UK!
It was bought by the Contemporary Art Society and given to the Bagshaw Museum in Batley in 1952. Fun fact: The Tate Gallery actually turned it down because they didn't think Bacon was a very important artist back then! When Kirklees Council was created in 1974, the painting was moved to Huddersfield.
A few years ago, there was talk about selling the painting because it's worth a lot of money. People thought it might be too valuable to keep in Huddersfield. However, it turned out that the rules of the original donation meant the painting could not be sold. So, it's still part of the gallery's collection! While it sometimes travels to other museums for special shows, it's usually on display at the Huddersfield Art Gallery for everyone to enjoy.
Other Cool Collections
Besides paintings, the gallery also has a collection of crafts. They especially focus on ceramics (pottery) made by artists from Yorkshire. You can also find smaller collections of beautiful jewellery, interesting textiles, and carved wood. There's even a collection of Japanese prints! The gallery often puts on different themed shows using pieces from these permanent collections.
Exhibitions and Prizes
The Huddersfield Art Gallery is a place where new art is often celebrated.
Art Prizes Hosted Here
The gallery has hosted the New Light art prize. This competition focuses on artists from the north of England. Every year, the gallery also hosts the Contemporary British Painting Prize. This is a national award for painters who work in the UK.
Special Displays
In 2014, the gallery was the first public place to show The Priseman Seabrook Collection. This is a special collection of British paintings from the 21st century.
See also
- Listed buildings in Huddersfield (Newsome Ward - central area)
