Watts Gallery facts for kids
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Watts Gallery (restored)
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 Watts Gallery
Location in Surrey
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| Location | Compton, Surrey |
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| Coordinates | 51°13′17″N 0°37′45″W / 51.2213°N 0.6293°W |
| Owner | Watts Gallery Trust |
| Type | Art gallery |
| Genre(s) | Single artist |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1903 |
| Opened | 1 April 1904 |
| Expanded | 1906 |
| Architect | Christopher Hatton Turnor |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 4 June 1975 |
| Reference no. | 1188403 |
Watts Gallery – Artists' Village is a special art gallery located in the village of Compton, near Guildford in Surrey, England. It is dedicated to showing the amazing paintings and sculptures created by George Frederic Watts. He was a famous artist from the Victorian-era.
This gallery is a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical place in England.
Contents
History of Watts Gallery
How the Gallery Started
George Frederic Watts moved to a home called "Limnerslease" in Compton in 1891. With his wife, Mary Fraser-Tytler, who was also an artist, he planned to open a museum to display his artworks. The gallery first opened its doors in April 1904, shortly before Watts passed away.
The architect who designed the gallery was Christopher Hatton Turnor. He was inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. This movement focused on traditional craftsmanship and simple designs. The building has special top-lit galleries. These allow Watts's art to be seen clearly using natural light.
A Unique Art Collection
Watts Gallery is one of only a few galleries in the United Kingdom dedicated to a single artist. Many people call it a "national gallery" even though it is in a small village. The current director is Alistair Burtenshaw. Dr Cicely Robinson is the curator, who looks after the art.
Restoration and Reopening
In January 2008, the gallery decided to sell two Victorian paintings. These were Sleeping Woman by Albert Joseph Moore and Triumph of Love by Edward Burne-Jones. The money from these sales helped to pay for important repairs and updates to the gallery.
The gallery closed from September 2008 until 2010 for this big restoration project. In December 2006, Watts Gallery received a large grant of £4.3 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This money helped to protect the building and its art collections for the future.
Watts Gallery reopened in June 2011 after a major renovation. Visitors can now see the Watts collection in the historic galleries. These rooms still have their original beautiful decorations.
What You Can See at the Gallery
More than one hundred paintings by G. F. Watts are always on display at the gallery. These artworks cover a period of 70 years of his life. They include portraits of people, landscapes, and his important symbolic works. From the grand entrance of the Livanos Gallery to the large sculptures and studio items in the Sculpture Gallery, Watts Gallery shows the collection the artist left behind as his legacy.
In January 2016, Watts Gallery opened the newly renovated "Limnerslease." This was the former home and studio of G. F. and Mary Watts. Opening Limnerslease completed the "Artists' Village" experience.
Near the gallery, in Compton's burial ground, you can find Watts's resting place. This area is dominated by the beautiful Watts Mortuary Chapel. This chapel was designed by Watts's wife, Mary, and is also managed by the museum.
In 2017, Surrey County Council provided a grant of £100,000 each year for four years to the gallery. This helped the gallery continue its work.
De Morgan Foundation Exhibition
The De Morgan Centre in London closed in the summer of 2014. After this, Watts Gallery and the De Morgan Foundation started working together. The De Morgan Foundation is a charity that protects the art of William De Morgan and Evelyn De Morgan.
This partnership led to a long-term exhibition opening in the Richard Jeffries Gallery at Watts Gallery. This exhibition features many important artworks from the De Morgan Collection.
See also
In Spanish: Galería Watts para niños
- List of single-artist museums
