LEFT TO THE NATION

What prompts art and antiques lovers to bequeath large parts of their collections to national galleries and cultural institutions? Steve Wright examines some signi!cant gi"s, past and present

Key bequests and why they are made

When someone has spent much of a lifetime, and o!en a considerable fortune, amassing a wonderful collection of artworks and artefacts, what do they envisage happening to these beautiful and much-loved objects a !er their death? It’s a question that countless collectors and lovers of art and antiques re"ect upon each year. Many, naturally, choose to leave their most treasured items to family and friends – but others decide to bequeath some or all of their collection to a national art gallery or cultural institution.

Sometimes the donor may be the artist themself. Famously, the English Romantic artist Joseph Mallord William Turner le! nearly 300 oil paintings, plus some 30,000 sketches and watercolours to London’s National Gallery. Usually, though, the bequeather is a collector who has spent a lifetime assembling exquisite objects. One such collector was Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild (1839-1898) who, on his death, le! the British Museum around 300 items, which included various important medieval and Renaissance pieces.

The Baron’s gi !, known as the Waddesdon Bequest (named a !er the Baron’s Buckinghamshire mansion) now occupies its own room at the British Museum. But what lies behind these generous bequests? Do the donors wish to leave behind some cultural legacy? Is it a simple philanthropic gesture, or the wish for a collection to stay together, rather than potentially being dispersed among multiple recipients?

‘People leave items to museums for all sorts of reasons,’ explains Alistair Brown, Policy Manager at the Museums Association. ‘Perhaps they love a speci "c museum or gallery and want to leave their own legacy there; perhaps they want to keep a collection together and ensure that it is shared with the public.’

Sometimes, museums and galleries may have to grapple with certain stipulations when receiving bequests. ‘ Donors may leave items with certain conditions a#ached, such as ensuring that the item never leaves a speci "c museum, or that it must be on display in a certain place,’ Alistair continues. ‘ Museums are o!en reluctant, though, to take items with very restrictive conditions, as doing so may involve

‘Donors may leave items with certain conditions a"ached, such as ensuring that the item never leaves a speci!c museum’

extra costs – or the conditions simply may not work with a museum’s own plans.’

Occasionally, a museum simply may not have the resources to take on a substantial bequest. ‘A decade of austerity and, more recently, the coronavirus crisis, mean that many museums struggle for secure storage space and conservation expertise,’ Alistair con "rms. ‘Many museums will need to raise extra funds for large or prestigious items, and may wish to enter into a discussion with the donor about how this could be done with their support.’

In the vast majority of cases, though, the bequest is very welcome. Recently, art collectors John Oldham and Terence Bacon promised almost 100 works, from their beautiful ensemble of 20th- century ceramics, paintings and illustrations, to The Hepworth Wake"eld in West Yorkshire.

The collection, assembled over many years, features vessels by some of the most acclaimed British ceramicists of the past century, from pioneering studio po#er Dame Lucie Rie to Angus Su#ie, Alison Bri#on and John Ward. ‘ It was an easy decision for us to make,’ say John and Terence. ‘All the

John Oldham and Terence Bacon in front of their extensive collection of studio pottery, which they have generously bequeathed, along with important artworks, to The Hepworth Wakefield.

ABOVE Long-standing patrons of The Hepworth Wakefield, John and Terence have promised to donate almost 100 artworks, including paintings by key artists, such as this large work by British abstract artist Sir Terry Frost.

ABOVE The Hepworth Wakefield sits on the banks of the River Calder. It relies on charitable donations to grow its collection. LEFT A John Ward vessel, part of the collection bequeathed by Terence Bacon and John Oldham. BELOW The Waddesdon Bequest at the British Museum.

A number of paintings by Craigie Aitchison will become part of The Hepworth Wakefield’s collection, which relies on significant donations such as this.