Liverpool – Ben Hills-Jones

I am visiting Liverpool for a few days, primarily to see the art galleries. The city is blessed with some world class galleries, and some great public art too.

‘Another Place’ by Antony Gormley

Antony Gormley is a world renowned sculptor. He has placed 100 cast iron figure on a beach in Crosby, about twenty minutes north of the centre of Liverpool. It is easy to get there by train, just go to Blundellsands and Crosby station.

The installation is very atmospheric. All the figures stand looking out to sea, and all seem to be slightly different. Some are covered in moss and algae. Some are rusted. A collective experience made of representations of the individuals. All are apparently modelled on the artist’s own body.

The artworks have been on the beach since 2005 and it makes an amazing addition to the coastline. Well worth a visit.

Another Place, Antony Gormley, Crosby Beach

The Lady Lever Gallery in Port Sunlight

This gallery was founded back in the early 20th century to display the huge art collection (over 20,000 pieces) of William Lever. He was a rich British businessman who founded Sunlight soap and also built the village of Port Sunlight. The village was a model village, built to house his factory workers. As well as visiting the gallery, it is well worth looking around the village.

The gallery is a mixture, of Chinese ceramics, Pre-Raphaelite paintings, as well as some 28th century British art and some 20th centric paintings too. It is free to get in and is easy to reach by train. Either go from Liverpool to Bebington or Port Sunlight stations. I visited a number of places by train, for the bargain price of £5.95 for an all day ticket!

The gallery is run by a very friendly group of people. There is a nice shop and cafe in the basement too.

'On his holidays, Norway', John Singer Sargent, 1901 — ‘On his holidays, Norway’, John Singer Sargent, 1901

'The favourite poet', Lawrence Alma Tadema, 1888 — ‘The favourite poet’, Lawrence Alma Tadema, 1888

'Fatidica', Frederic Leighton, 1894 — ‘Fatidica’, Frederic Leighton, 1894

Figure of Guanine, Liu Zhen, China, 1484

'St Michael and the dragon', Spanish School, 1515 — Figure of Guanine, Liu Zhen, China, 1484

Group of paintings hung at the Lady Lever Gallery

Art and advertising

Lever was the first business person to understand the power of art in advertising. He could never use the images he wanted to advertise his products, because he did not own them. So he bought them.

This example below shows the original painting he owned on the left, and how he used it to advertise soap on the right. He was also an advocate of getting art to the masses, so it was also a way of introducing people to art. He was keen to put his collection on display, so his workers and the wider public could see it.

'Blue & white', Louise Jopling, 1896, image used for advert for Sunlight soap

The Walker Gallery

The Walker is a large publicly owned art gallery in Liverpool, free to enter, with a world class collection. The artworks are mainly British, with some fantastic 19th and 20th century paintings, and some great medieval and Renaissance paintings too. The gallery is spread over two floors and often has paid exhibitions. There are two upcoming, starting in three days time! One I would have loved to have seen on Walter Sickert, oh well, next time!

The gallery has a small cafe and small gift shop. The World Museum is next door and has a larger and better cafe and shop. It is located 5 minutes from Lime Street station.

British art 1880 to 1950

This gallery was by far my favourite. Some amazing examples of British art at its best here….

'Two Jamaican Girls' by Augustus John, 1937 — ‘Two Jamaican Girls’ by Augustus John, 1937

'Mrs Mounter', Harold Glimmer, 1916 — ‘Two Jamaican Girls’ by Augustus John, 1937

'Peter getting out of Nick's pool', David Hockney, 1966 — ‘Peter getting out of Nick’s pool’, David Hockney, 1966

'Landscape of the moon's last phase', Paul Nash, 1944 — ‘Landscape of the moon’s last phase’, Paul Nash, 1944

Pre Raphaelite paintings

'Dante's dream', Dante Rossetti, 1870 — ‘Dante’s dream’, Dante Rossetti, 1870

'Helen of Troy', Frederick Sands, 1867 — ‘Helen of Troy’, Frederick Sands, 1867

'Love's baubles' by John Beam Shaw (1899) and 'Echo and Narcissus' by JW Waterhouse (1903) — ‘Love’s baubles’ by John Byam Shaw (1899) and ‘Echo and Narcissus’ by JW Waterhouse (1903)

Modern European art

The Walker has some great European modern art. One of my favourite artists is featured, Maurice de Vlanmick, and a fascinating Italian surrealist paintings called ‘The punishment of lust’.

'Environs of Rouen', Maurice de Vlaminck, 1910 — ‘Environs of Rouen’, Maurice de Vlaminck, 1910

'The punishment of lust', Giovanni Segantini, 1891 — ‘The punishment of lust’, Giovanni Segantini, 1891

World Museum

The World Museum forms part of an impressive collection of museums and galleries in Liverpool. Like the Walker, it is free to enter. The museum is a collection of anthropology, natural history and art. The area that interested me the most were the world culture galleries, especially the Asian galleries, with some great examples of ancient bodhisattvas.