GALLERY CORNER Morecambe and Wise reunited after 50 years
YVONNE ROBINS
AS part of our ‘Amazing Accrington’ summer exhibition this year, Haworth Art Gallery is celebrating the work of one of Accrington’s foremost portraiture artists, Gerard de Rose.
In the mid-sixties Gerard painted individual portraits of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise sitting back-to-back on director’s chairs. These portraits were framed as a pair and shown at the Royal Academy summer exhibition in 1967.
The paintings were subsequently divided and went their separate ways, Ernie’s to his family and Eric to a private collector. Ernie’s painting was later purchased by Billy Stanley, who has kindly lent it to the gallery for this exhibition. Eric’s portrait history is still a little vague, until 2005 when it was purchased at auction by well-known actor and friend of Morecambe and Wise, Martin Benson. He subsequently donated the painting to Harpenden Council and it now hangs in the Eric Morecambe Hall, a performance theatre in the town that Eric and his family subsequently lived.
Haworth Art Gallery is very grateful to Harpenden Public Halls for the loan of the Eric Morecambe portrait, enabling us to reunite Morecambe and Wise for the 50th anniversary of their first exhibition in 1967.
These are just two of a wonderful collection of portraits created by Gerard de Rose, with many more treasures to be seen at the Amazing Accrington exhibition which opens on Saturday, August 5, with Gerard’s son Theo, leading the tributes – we look forward to seeing you!
The gallery is open Tuesday to Friday 12 noon to 4.45pm, Saturday, Sunday 12 noon to 4.15pm, closed all day Monday, free entrance and parking. For all the latest information on events at the Haworth check out our Facebook Page.
The Gallery Kitchen is open for lunch and afternoon tea Tuesday to Sunday from 12 noon to 4.30pm and every Friday and Saturday evening from 5.30pm to 11pm with a delicious bistro menu, telephone 01254 491660 to book a table.