Walker Art Gallery facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Walker Art Gallery

Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool City Centre
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Established	1877 (1877)
Location	William Brown Street, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Visitors	391,765 (2019)
Founder	Sir Andrew Barclay Walker
Architect	Cornelius Sherlock & H. H. Vale
Public transit access	Liverpool Lime Street

The Walker Art Gallery is a famous art museum in Liverpool, England. It holds one of the biggest art collections in England, outside of London. It is part of the National Museums Liverpool family of museums.

History of the Walker Art Gallery

The Walker Art Gallery's collection started in 1819. The Liverpool Royal Institution bought 37 paintings then. These paintings came from William Roscoe's collection. He had to sell his art because his banking business failed. Luckily, his friends helped save the collection from being split up.

In 1843, the Royal Institution's art was shown in a new building. This gallery was right next to the Institution's main building. Later, in 1850, some citizens tried to take over the collection. They wanted to display it in a new art gallery, library, and museum. But this plan did not work out.

The art collection kept growing over the next few years. In 1851, the Liverpool Town Council bought more art. These were from the Liverpool Academy of Arts. More works were also bought from the Liverpool Society for the Fine Arts. This society was started in 1858. The competition between these two groups eventually led to both of them closing down.

The William Brown Library and Museum opened in 1860. It was named after William Brown, a rich merchant from Liverpool. His kindness allowed the Town Council to build a public library, museum, and art gallery. This was possible because of a law passed in 1852. In 1871, the council held the first Liverpool Autumn Exhibition. It took place at the new library and museum.

The exhibition was a big success. This allowed the Library, Museum and Arts Committee to buy art for the city's collection. They bought about 150 artworks between 1871 and 1910. Famous paintings bought included WF Yeames' And when did you last see your father? and Dante Gabriel Rossetti's Dante's Dream.

The Walker Art Gallery was designed by local architects. Their names were Cornelius Sherlock and H. H. Vale. It officially opened on September 6, 1877. The person who opened it was Edward Henry Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby. The gallery is named after its founder, Sir Andrew Barclay Walker. He was a former mayor of Liverpool and a rich brewer. He was born in Ayrshire and moved to Gateacre.

In 1893, the Liverpool Royal Institution loaned its collection to the gallery for a long time. In 1948, they gave William Roscoe's collection and other artworks to the gallery. This happened after World War II, when the gallery was closed. It reopened in 1951. During the Second World War, the gallery was used by the Ministry of Food. The art collection was moved to safe places.

The gallery was made bigger in 1884 and again in 1933. After a two-year closure, it reopened in 1933 with a special exhibition. This show included works by famous artists like Picasso and Gauguin. In 2002, the gallery reopened again after a big renovation.

In 1986, the gallery became a national museum. It joined the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside.

The gallery building is in a neo-Classical style. It is located on William Brown Street. This is the only street in the United Kingdom with only museums, galleries, and libraries. Nearby places include the William Brown Library, World Museum Liverpool, St. George's Hall, Wellington's Column, Lime Street Station, and the entrance to the Queensway Tunnel. Another major art gallery in Liverpool is Tate Liverpool. It is at the Albert Dock and shows modern art.

• Gallery Rooms
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  William Roscoe, whose collection was the first

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  Late Renaissance Gallery

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  Pre-Raphaelite Gallery

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  Sculpture Gallery

Permanent Art Collection

The Walker Art Gallery has a wide range of art. It includes Italian and Netherlandish paintings from 1300 to 1550. There is also European art from 1550 to 1900. This includes works by Giambattista Pittoni, Rembrandt, Poussin, and Degas.

The gallery also has British art from the 18th and 19th centuries. This includes a large collection of Victorian paintings. Many Pre-Raphaelite artworks are also on display. You can also see many prints, drawings, and watercolours.

For 20th-century art, there are works by artists like Lucian Freud, David Hockney, and Gilbert and George. The gallery also has a major collection of sculptures. Its smaller collection of decorative arts is very varied. It ranges from Gothic ivories to British ceramics from today. The gallery also has the only original Stuart Sutcliffe painting on permanent display in Liverpool.

On December 17, 2011, the Walker Art Gallery got a new artwork. It was a statue of a priest that was changed by the artist Banksy. Banksy is a famous graffiti artist. He cut off the face of an 18th-century stone bust. Then he glued bathroom tiles onto it. The new "pixellated" face is called Cardinal Sin. This artwork is in Room three, which is one of the 17th-century Old Master galleries.

As of July 2, 2013, the La Masseuse sculpture by Edgar Degas found a permanent home. This sculpture used to belong to Lucian Freud. It came to the Walker Art Gallery thanks to a special donation system. This system is set up by the Arts Council England.

Gallery of Artworks

Exhibitions and Prizes

The first John Moores Contemporary Painting Prize exhibition was held in 1957. Sir John Moores, who started Littlewoods, sponsored this prize. The competition happens every two years. It is the biggest painting prize in the UK.

The gallery also has a regular schedule of temporary exhibitions. For example, in 2009-2010, they showed works by Aubrey Williams, Bridget Riley, Sickert, and Freud.

In 2004, the gallery put on The Stuckists Punk Victorian. This was the first national museum show for the Stuckist art movement. The gallery also takes part in the Liverpool Biennial, a big art festival.

See also

In Spanish: Galería de Arte Walker para niños

• Architecture of Liverpool
• Liverpool Biennial
• The Stuckists Punk Victorian