Collection GB 0074 CLC/293 - CORPORATION OF LONDON: GUILDHALL ART GALLERY

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 CLC/293

Title

CORPORATION OF LONDON: GUILDHALL ART GALLERY

Date(s)

  • 1793 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

2 production units.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The early growth of the art collection belonging to the Corporation of London was linked to the ceremonial functions of the City. In 1670 the Corporation commissioned portraits of the Chief Judges of England who assessed property claims after the Great Fire in 1666. Portraits of the Royal family and City officials followed. In 1783 a more ambitious project was commissioned, a canvas 18x24 feet in size showing the British garrison at Gibraltar resisting a Spanish and French siege. Ten years later the first gift to the collection came from Alderman John Boydell, who donated 24 oil paintings to the Corporation, including portraits, narrative works and paintings of mayoralty ceremonies. By 1872 the collection numbered over 180 items and it was realised that the collection had a size and importance on a national level that made care and maintenance important. In 1879 the works were placed in the care of a Curator and exhibitions were held in Skinners' Hall. The popularity of these exhibitions led the Corporation to make the disused Law Courts at the Guildhall into a permanent exhibition space. The Guildhall Art Gallery was opened in 1886 and was enlarged in 1890 and 1901. By 1910 the Gallery held 891 items, and in addition the Corporation had voted to provide a purchase fund so that the Gallery could actively acquire pieces rather than wait for donations.

In 1941 the Gallery was destroyed in an air raid. Most of the collection had been sent to safe storage in the countryside, but some works were lost. A temporary structure was established although this was too small to display much of the collection and was used for short-term exhibitions. Other paintings were displayed in Corporation buildings such as Mansion House and the Central Criminal Court. A semi-permanent exhibition was established in the new Barbican Art Gallery during the 1980s. As early as 1963 plans had been made to rebuild a permanent gallery next to the Guildhall but financial restrictions meant that the new gallery was not completed until 1999. The Gallery now displays around 250 paintings in its permanent display and mounts temporary exhibitions on a variety of topics and themes. The Roman amphitheatre discovered on the site during the building works is incorporated into the Art Gallery building and can be viewed there.

Archival history

GB 0074 CLC/293 1793 Collection 2 production units. Guildhall Art Gallery

The early growth of the art collection belonging to the Corporation of London was linked to the ceremonial functions of the City. In 1670 the Corporation commissioned portraits of the Chief Judges of England who assessed property claims after the Great Fire in 1666. Portraits of the Royal family and City officials followed. In 1783 a more ambitious project was commissioned, a canvas 18x24 feet in size showing the British garrison at Gibraltar resisting a Spanish and French siege. Ten years later the first gift to the collection came from Alderman John Boydell, who donated 24 oil paintings to the Corporation, including portraits, narrative works and paintings of mayoralty ceremonies. By 1872 the collection numbered over 180 items and it was realised that the collection had a size and importance on a national level that made care and maintenance important. In 1879 the works were placed in the care of a Curator and exhibitions were held in Skinners' Hall. The popularity of these exhibitions led the Corporation to make the disused Law Courts at the Guildhall into a permanent exhibition space. The Guildhall Art Gallery was opened in 1886 and was enlarged in 1890 and 1901. By 1910 the Gallery held 891 items, and in addition the Corporation had voted to provide a purchase fund so that the Gallery could actively acquire pieces rather than wait for donations.

In 1941 the Gallery was destroyed in an air raid. Most of the collection had been sent to safe storage in the countryside, but some works were lost. A temporary structure was established although this was too small to display much of the collection and was used for short-term exhibitions. Other paintings were displayed in Corporation buildings such as Mansion House and the Central Criminal Court. A semi-permanent exhibition was established in the new Barbican Art Gallery during the 1980s. As early as 1963 plans had been made to rebuild a permanent gallery next to the Guildhall but financial restrictions meant that the new gallery was not completed until 1999. The Gallery now displays around 250 paintings in its permanent display and mounts temporary exhibitions on a variety of topics and themes. The Roman amphitheatre discovered on the site during the building works is incorporated into the Art Gallery building and can be viewed there.

Deposited in the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, which merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Papers of Guildhall Art Gallery, comprising account of several pictures presented to the Corporation by John Boydell, alderman, 1793 and register of works of art, listing paintings, drawings and sculptures, presented donated or deposited at Guildhall, begun 1906, retrospective to 1660, and continued to 1953.

Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.

Available for general access.

Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.

English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

See also COL/LBD/AG.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

August to October 2010. City of London Guildhall Art Gallery Art galleries Exhibitions Art collections London England UK Western Europe Europe Collections Cultural resources

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Deposited in the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, which merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of Guildhall Art Gallery, comprising account of several pictures presented to the Corporation by John Boydell, alderman, 1793 and register of works of art, listing paintings, drawings and sculptures, presented donated or deposited at Guildhall, begun 1906, retrospective to 1660, and continued to 1953.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

See also COL/LBD/AG.

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area