Pallant House Gallery bequest goes on show
Art A new free exhibition at Pallant House Gallery showcases highlights from a recent bequest donated by Elizabeth Burney (1934-2018).
Works by Chagall, Kollwitz, Pissarro and more are included in the show, which runs until Sunday, June 23.
Gallery director Simon Martin said: “A journalist and criminal psychologist, Burney was a descendent of the 18th-century musicologist Charles Burney and related to the celebrated writer Fanny Burney.
“She offered her collection to the gallery after attending an inspirational tour.
“From Pissarro to Kollwitz: The Elizabeth Burney Bequest includes etchings by Samuel Palmer, Camille Pissarro and Käthe Kollwitz, woodcuts by the Japanese master Hiroshige and drawings by Henri Gaudier-brzeska and Christopher Wood.
“The Elizabeth Burney Bequest includes several important new additions to the gallery’s collection of Modern British art. Prints by Marc Chagall and Samuel Palmer fill significant gaps, while drawings by Matthew Smith, Leon Underwood and Christopher Wood complement the existing collection.
“Burney’s choice of artworks reveal her innate fascination with the human experience, both good and bad.
“Some, such as a poignant etching of a woman by German artist Käthe Kollwitz, reflect an interest in social inequalities. Her portraits often reflect the harsh realities of poverty and act as an indictment of the social conditions in Germany during the late 19th and early 20th century.
“Throughout her life,
Burney sought to combat social inequalities, first through her role as a journalist for The Economist and New Society magazine and later through her position at the Institute of Criminology at Cambridge and as author of several books on crime and society.
“Alongside this passionate belief in social justice, Burney also appreciated the solace granted by peaceful interiors, such as mezzotints by the Dannish artist Peter Ilsted (brother-in-law of Vilhelm Hammershøi) and depictions of nature such as River Seine at Rouen by Camille Pissarro and The Rising Moon by Samuel Palmer.”
“Her appreciation of art was of an intimate character, sensual and emotional – in contrast to the analytical and sometimes polemic nature of her work in the public domain.
“Other works reflect the interests of her husband, financial journalist Alan Parker who was a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism.”
Simon added: “Elizabeth Burney’s generous bequest of over 20 works on paper is a significant addition to Pallant House Gallery’s collection of collections, not least because she was a female collector whose tastes and interests were reflected in the artworks with which she chose to surround herself. It is a collection that has much to tell us about humanity.
“Burney decided to bequeath her collection to Pallant House Gallery following an inspiring visit to the gallery. She attended a tour given by one of the gallery’s exceptional volunteer guides.
“Many of the artworks held by the gallery have been donated as part of the private collection of an individual. Each of these collections have their own character, revealing different stories and insights into Modern British art – and Britain as a whole.”
The exhibition continues until June 23.