Why DID the National Trust cover up paintings and statues? Because they depicted men!
THE Victorian industrialist Lord William Armstrong was a passionate art lover who collected hundreds of paintings and sculptures to display in his grand Northumberland home.
But visitors hoping to admire his celebrated collection at a National Trust exhibition were furious to find ‘room after room’ of artwork covered with white sheets.
The trust, which owns Lord Armstrong’s former home of Cragside, covered up paintings and sculptures depicting men to highlight the ‘lack of female representation in art’.
It meant visitors who had paid up to £49 to view the famous collection found almost half of the paintings hidden behind white sheets, while sculptures of men had bags placed over their heads.
One said: ‘It was ridiculous. Whole corridors and room after room were completely covered.’
It was part of the National Trust’s Women and Power programme for the centenary of women’s suffrage.
The three-week exhibition, which ended on Sunday, was designed to encourage visitors to ‘notice the absence of the female voice’ by ‘ concealing male representation’.
But it was so unpopular that staff reportedly had to empty the visitor comments box three times a day because it was overflowing with complaints.
The trust initially defended the ‘thought-provoking exhibition’ but later admitted: ‘Sometimes it doesn’t work as we intended.’
Sir Roy Strong, 83, former director of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, said: ‘Lord Armstrong would be horrified to see his art being used
‘Turning in his grave’
to deliver correctness. a diatribe on political
‘His art collection was given to the National Trust in good faith. The fact they have gone on to use it in this way will be extremely off-putting to any future donors.’ He added: ‘If the public pay to see an art collection they expect to see what is there.
‘ It’s insulting … to censor paintings to make a political point. I find the whole thing infantile completely and pointless. rather sad. I’m sure It is the donor would be turning in his grave.’ One visitor, Jim Herbert, said: ‘Having paid a touch under £50 to get in, it is disappointing not to see the whole collection.’
Another, Sharon Wilkinson, 64, accused the National Trust of ‘abusing something in their care’. She added: ‘Believing that the only way to put women forward is to put men backwards is mad.’
Scott Anderson, 36, added: ‘This is just PC for PC’s sake. Covering up male art is not going to achieve equality.’
The collection at Cragside, acquired in JMW Sorbi. A 1977, trust Turner includes by spokesman the and National paintings Raffaello Trust said: by ‘This temporary at Cragside student was exhibition not about censoring art or being politically correct, but to encourage people to look at the collection differently and stimulate debate.’ The trust has been embroiled in a number of rows over political correctness, including asking volunteers to disclose their sexual and gender orientation and making some wear gay pride badges.