Yale Center for British Art facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yale Center for British Art |
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| General information | |
| Type | Art museum, Rare Book Library, Institute, Art center |
| Architectural style | Modern |
| Location | New Haven, Connecticut |
| Address | 1080 Chapel Street |
| Completed | 1974 |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Concrete frame |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Louis Kahn |
The Yale Center for British Art is a special museum at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. It has the biggest collection of British art outside of the United Kingdom. You can see paintings, sculptures, drawings, and old books there. The art shows how British culture and art have changed since the Elizabethan period.
Contents
How the Art Center Started
The center was created thanks to a gift from Paul Mellon. He was a student at Yale in 1929. In 1966, he gave his amazing collection of British art to Yale. He also gave money to run the center and build a new home for the artworks.
The building was designed by a famous architect named Louis Kahn. It was built in New Haven, right across from another building Kahn designed, the Yale University Art Gallery. The Yale Center for British Art was finished in 1974, after Kahn had passed away. It opened its doors to the public on April 15, 1977.
The outside of the building uses matte steel and shiny glass. Inside, you'll find travertine marble, white oak wood, and Belgian linen. Kahn wanted to create cozy rooms where people could enjoy the art. He made sure lots of natural light could come in. Artificial lights were only used on dark days or at night. The building's design and materials make it a simple and respectful place for the art.
The center also works with the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art in London. This group helps students and publishes books about British art. They also run a special study program for Yale students in London.
What You Can See: The Collection
The Yale Center for British Art has almost 2,000 paintings and 200 sculptures. Most of these artworks are from the time between 1697 and 1851. This period includes famous artists like William Hogarth and J. M. W. Turner. Other well-known artists in the collection include Thomas Gainsborough, George Stubbs, Joseph Wright, and John Constable.
The collection also features art by artists from other countries who lived and worked in Britain. These include Hans Holbein, Peter Paul Rubens, and Anthony van Dyck. You can also see works by Canaletto, Johann Zoffany, and James McNeill Whistler.
Some special parts of the collection are:
- Conversation pieces: These are small group portraits, like those by Hogarth and Gainsborough.
- Landscape paintings: Beautiful scenes by artists such as Gainsborough, Constable, and Turner.
- Sporting and animal paintings: Art showing horses, hunting, and other sports, with works by George Stubbs and Alfred Munnings.
Other types of art include paintings of ships, London city scenes, and art about Shakespeare's plays.
Sculptors whose work is displayed include Louis-Francois Roubiliac and Henry Moore.
Drawings, Prints, and Books
The center has a huge collection of 20,000 drawings and watercolors. There are also 31,000 prints. This part of the collection focuses on British sporting art and drawings of people. It includes works by William Blake, John Constable, and J. M. W. Turner. You can also find art by the Pre-Raphaelites.
The center's rare book collection has 35,000 volumes. These include old maps, atlases, and books about sports. There are also original papers from British artists. A special part of the collection is William Morris's Kelmscott Press publications. There are also many old books with colorful pictures. These books describe British life, customs, and travel from 1770 to 1860.
Programs and Research
The four-floor center always has new exhibitions and educational programs. These include films, concerts, talks, and tours. They also have special programs for families.
The center is a great place for people who want to study art. It has a large reference library with 40,000 books. There's also a photo archive and special labs for taking care of artworks. A study room lets visitors look closely at drawings and prints from the collection.
The center is open to everyone six days a week, and it's free to visit!
Selection of Artwork
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The Stables and Two Famous Running Horses belonging to His Grace, the Duke of Bolton, by James Seymour, 1747
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The Gravenor Family, by Thomas Gainsborough, 1754
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A Lion Attacking a Horse, by George Stubbs, 1762
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Mrs. Abington as Miss Prue in "Love for Love" by William Congreve, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1771
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Dort or Dordrecht: The Dort packet-boat from Rotterdam becalmed, by J. M. W. Turner, ca. 1818
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Hadleigh Castle, The Mouth of the Thames--Morning after a Stormy Night, by John Constable, 1829
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Lovers in a landscape, Petrus Johannes van Reysschoot, ca. 1740
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A Paddle-steamer in a Storm, watercolor by J. M. W. Turner, ca. 1841
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Street Scene in Chorley, Lancashire, with a view of Chorley Hall, by John Bird of Liverpool, ca. 1795
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A portrait of an Indian Premier Madhavrao Peshwa, an 18th-century Noble, Statesman, Premier
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Nocturne in Blue and Silver, by James Abbott McNeill Whistler, 1872-1878
See also
In Spanish: Centro de Arte Británico de Yale para niños
