About Us
The Friends have been supporting Bristol’s Art Gallery – one of the finest in the country — since 1947. In that time, we have enabled our collections officers to acquire more than 300 works of art they otherwise could not have done. Paintings, drawings, sculpture, rare pottery, elegant glass, antique and modern silver, contemporary jewellery – we have helped with all of these and much more
This astonishing assembly of art ranges from Thomas Gainsborough, through Bristol School artists of the nineteenth century, to leading modernists Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth and, more recently, Bristol-born, Turner-prize winning Richard Long’s Delabole Slate Circle. One of the gallery’s most popular paintings, loved by all generations — Jan Griffier’s gigantic Noah’s Ark – came to Bristol courtesy of The Friends.
In the field of applied art, the range is from early Bristol porcelain to the fabulous Lazarus collection of almost 200 items of antique glass. The Friends are proud to have enabled the acquisition of many fine items of porcelain and stoneware from China, India and Japan.
Click on ACQUISITIONS to see a sample selection of items we have helped Bristol Art Gallery to acquire.
The Friends have published, or sponsored, a number of important catalogues and books about the collections: most recently Sheena Stoddard’s survey of the wonderful Braikenridge Collection of around 1,500 watercolours and drawings of Bristol in the early nineteenth century.
We have also funded much essential conservation work and made a major contribution to the enhanced presentation of the city’s collection. In 2006, The Friends’ grant of £40,000 funded the refurbishment of Gallery VII, now a sumptuous room full of fine glass, silver and beautiful paintings.
From 2001-7, The Friends were one of the sponsors of the immensely successful annual touring exhibitions curated jointly between the National Gallery, Bristol and the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle.
All this takes money. It has been estimated that, collectively, the art which the Friends have helped Bristol Art Gallery acquire over the years would today cost millions of pounds to purchase.
You can help us continue the good work. Please click on JOIN for more information.
But the Friends are not just about raising much needed money. We have a lot of fun, too – for details of our social events, outings and lectures, click on ACTIVITIES and PROGRAMME.
