The Ashmolean is redeveloping one of the most popular sections of the Museum, the Nineteenth-Century Art Galleries. The project involves a complete rehang of the paintings; new displays of recent acquisitions and works that have been off-site and in storage for many years. This has been made possible by a major gift from US collectors Barrie and Deedee Wigmore.
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In visiting the Ashmolean, Mr and Mrs Wigmore were struck by the lack of nineteenth-century decorative arts in the Museum's collections. This is in contrast to the Museum's world-famous collection of nineteenth-century paintings, works on paper and sculpture, in particular works by the Pre-Raphaelites. To redress this imbalance, the Wigmores have given the finest British ceramics from their own collection to the Museum in order to form the nucleus of a growing collection of nineteenth-century decorative arts. The gift includes important pieces by Christopher Dresser (1834–1904) for Linthorpe, Ault, Minton and Wedgwood and major works by the Martin brothers (1873–1923).
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Double gourd vase, 1892-6 by Christopher Dresser
Wally Bird tobacco jar, 1898 by the Martin Brothers
The Wigmores' generous support has also allowed the Museum to install new environmental controls in the historic building and state-of-the-art showcases for sculpture and ceramics so that objects can be shown alongside the paintings.
The Wigmores have also funded a Curator for Nineteenth-Century Decorative Arts - Dr Matthew Winterbottom.
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The galleries have been reorganised so that Nineteenth-Century British and French landscapes including works by Constable, Turner and Samuel Palmer are now shown at the end of the suite of galleries.
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The Pre-Raphaelite paintings have been moved to the largest gallery to be shown with other important Victorian works including exceptional paintings by Lord Leighton, William Dyce and James Tissot.
In part, the displays have been changed to accommodate the return to the Museum, after 60 years, of the Great Bookcase.
This monumental piece of gothic revival furniture was designed by the architect William Burges (1827–81) to hold his collection of books on art and architecture. Between 1859 and 1862, Burges commissioned fourteen artists, most of whom were associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Movement, to paint the bookcase with scenes depicting the Pagan and Christian Arts.
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Described as the most important example of Victorian painted furniture ever made, this remarkable object was acquired for the Ashmolean by Kenneth Clark in 1933 for the relatively modest sum of £50. It was a farsighted acquisition at a time when most Victorian art was widely mocked and derided.
Kenneth Clark wrote that 'though not acceptable to present taste it will always remain an important document in the history of the [Pre-Raphaelite] movement'. Clark almost certainly acquired the bookcase so that it could be displayed with the Museum's Pre-Raphaelite paintings. In 1952, however, it was lent to the V&A. The bookcase remained on loan in Kensington for many years before being lent to Knightshayes Manor in Devon in the 1980s. There it remained until 2015.
The bookcase has now returned to the Museum to be conserved before going on display with the Museum's Pre-Raphaelite collection as Kenneth Clark intended.
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