Usher Gallery facts for kids
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| Established | 1927 |
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| Location | Lincoln, England |
| Type | Art gallery |
The Usher Gallery is an art museum in Lincoln, England. It shows off amazing artworks by famous painters like J. M. W. Turner and L. S. Lowry. This gallery first opened in 1927 and is now part of the Collection of museums in Lincolnshire.
Contents
The Usher Gallery's Story
James Ward Usher was born in Lincoln in 1845. His father started a jewellery and watchmaking business in 1837. James joined the family business, Usher and Son, after 1874. He loved collecting things and even painted pictures of his collections.
James Usher started collecting watches, beautiful ceramics from places like Meissen and Sèvres, English silver, and tiny portrait miniatures. He once said his favourite item was a small thimble case, which supposedly belonged to the family of writer Charlotte Brontë. James Usher also helped make the Lincoln Imp famous. The Prince of Wales was even seen wearing a pin with the imp, which James had given him!
James Usher never married. When he died in 1921, he left a lot of money to build a gallery. He wanted his amazing collection to be kept in a museum named after him. The gallery was designed by Reginald Blomfield. It officially opened on May 25, 1927, with the Prince of Wales there for the ceremony.
The Gallery Building
The Usher Gallery is a beautiful building made of stone and brick. It has tall, decorative columns and a fancy roof. In the middle of the front, there's a special entrance with a broken triangle shape above it. The gallery sits in a small park on a hill, looking over the lower part of Lincoln.
This gallery is the only public art gallery in Lincolnshire that was built just for art. It's a special building called a Grade II* listed building, which means it's historically important. The Lincoln City Council owns the gallery, and the Lincolnshire County Council manages it.
How the Museum Grew
The Usher Gallery joined up with the City and County Museum. This museum started in 1906, and Arthur Smith became its first curator. Smith was a scientist who loved nature and insects. He collected thousands of items, from old discoveries to natural objects and decorative art. Important items from the Lincoln Cathedral and other local collections were brought together under one roof. Smith retired in 1935. By 1974, the Usher Gallery was also known as the county's main archaeological museum.
Cool Modern Art at the Gallery
The gallery uses new technology like 3D scanning. This lets them make digital copies of objects. These digital copies can help with managing, studying, and showing off the museum's collection.
In 2012, the gallery started using 3D printing for contemporary (modern) art. An artist named Oliver Laric helped with a 3D scanning project. He suggested that 3D models of the gallery's items could be downloaded for free! This means you can download the digital files and even 3D print them yourself. This project works for many materials, like ceramics, paper, and metal. Even though you can download these 3D scans, they are not meant to replace seeing the real artwork.
What You Can See: The Collections
The Usher Gallery has many different types of art. You can see modern art, paintings of people and landscapes, sculptures, drawings, photos, and decorative items. The gallery has two floors. The first floor is for special, temporary shows that change often. The ground floor shows off items from the gallery's permanent collection.
Some famous artworks include a portrait of Joseph Banks by American artist Benjamin West, and paintings of Lincoln by L. S. Lowry. You can also see modern works by John Piper. The sculpture collection includes a tree-ring sculpture by Edward Allington. The decorative art collection has beautiful ceramics, glass, silver, and jewellery. There are also paintings of unknown ladies from long ago.
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Robert Peake the Elder, unknown lady (1623)
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Circle of Robert Peake the Elder, Portrait of a Lady Wearing a Patch (c. 1619–1621)
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Landscape with Tree (c. 1695–1702), attributed to Lodewijk van Schoor
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How the Collection Grows
The artworks and items you see at the gallery are there because many people and groups have been very generous. The museum is always thankful for these gifts. The collection grows through gifts, special purchases, and items left in wills. Generous grants also help the decorative arts collection get bigger. Local people and organisations have helped build collections of watches, porcelain, and miniatures.
Fun Activities at the Gallery
Learning and Education
The Usher Gallery has a special learning programme. During school holidays or on Saturdays, children aged 5–11 can join art workshops. The gallery staff also provide helpful resources. There are even special courses for children with special educational needs and for adults.
Archaeology and History
The museum has always been connected to studying archaeology and history. In 1945, the Lincoln Archaeological Committee started to study Lincoln's early history. Many early surveys and archaeological projects are done at this museum by universities and researchers. If people find old items during digs, they can learn how to give them to the museum's archives.
Modern Art Shows
In 1946, the gallery started a programme to invite modern artists and curators to show their work. This includes modern British art. In 2013, contemporary artists were invited to choose displays from the Arts Council Collection. The next year, works by famous artists like Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, and Salvador Dalí were shown.
Who Helps Fund the Gallery?
Many organisations help the gallery by providing money and resources. The modern art programme gets a lot of money from the Arts Council England. Many of the permanent artworks have been bought by a group called the Art Fund. Universities, like Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, also help support the gallery's education programmes. The Arts Council also helps with the gallery's temporary collections.
Keeping the Gallery Open
In 2019, there were ideas to use part of the gallery for events like weddings and move some art to another museum. People worried this would make the art harder to see. However, after discussions, it was decided that the Usher Gallery will stay open. They will still be able to host events, but Lincoln's museum and art collections will remain in Lincolnshire.
Recent Exhibitions
The gallery often has new and exciting exhibitions. Some recent ones include:
- Community Choice, from June to October 2023.
- Re:Collection, showing works by art students from the University of Lincoln, from April to June 2023.
- David Remfry: A Moment Captured, from January to May 2023.
- Best Art Vinyl: album artwork through the ages, from October 2022 to January 2023.
- Microworld: Lincoln, from July to October 2022.
