Leeds Art Fund members are entitled to free unlimited entry (during normal hours) to Temple Newsam. Regular events led by the curatorial team over the year, provide glimpses behind the scenes.
Temple Newsam is a stunning Tudor-Jacobean mansion on the outskirts of Leeds, set within 1500 acres of beautiful parkland designed by Capability Brown. One of the great historic estates in England, it houses an internationally renowned collection of paintings, furniture, textiles, silver and ceramics, the collection of creamware is the largest in the UK. Alongside the V&A and the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester, Temple Newsam is one of only three collections of historic wallpapers in this country. These collections are displayed in a series of ravishing historic interiors.
One of the first works acquired by Leeds Art Fund in 1914, was the early seventeenth century oil painting, Portrait of a Man by the Flemish artist Frans Pourbus the Younger (1569-1622). This painting was purchased from a Monsieur Neumann of Belgium who had arrived in Leeds fleeing the advancing German armies. The work is now shown at Temple Newsam where the major part of the pre-nineteenth century collection is displayed.
During World War 2 the Director of Leeds Art Galleries, Philip Hendy staged a remarkable series of exhibitions at Temple Newsam, featuring rising stars of the art world including Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Graham Sutherland, but the first exhibition in this series in 1940 was Chinese Art. For this exhibition a rare lacquer screen was purchased by Leeds Art Fund. It dates from the Qing dynasty Kangxi reign (1662-1722) and is now displayed at Temple Newsam.
Over the years Leeds Art Fund support has been vital in purchasing world-class items to enrich the important holdings of applied art.
The silver wine cooler by Philip Rollos 1705/6 weighs 2,600 ounces and was acquired by Thomas Wentworth, Lord Raby when he was appointed ambassador to Berlin. Ambassadors were allowed to purchase silver objects weighing up to 5,893 ounces from the Royal Jewel Office, to entertain guests.
The Four Post State Bed complete with 18th century Chinese silk needlework counterpane by Jean-Baptiste Tilliard is one of the finest examples of its kind.
Occasionally we also contribute to the conservation of items. When the magnificent Queen Anne State Bed, ordered by the first Earl Poulett for Hinton House, Somerset, was acquired for Temple Newsam in 1981 it was in a ruinous condition. This remains one of the most ambitious restoration projects undertaken and was made possible with a grant from Leeds Art Fund.
As curators seek to restore the historic interiors at Temple Newsam, we have helped with relevant purchases such as the recent purchase at auction of a section of the original carpet for the oak corridor, which formed part of Emily Meynell Ingram’s remodelling of the house in the nineteenth century.
Leeds Art Fund has recently supported the new displays of the metalwork and silver collection and the reinstatement of the former Butler’s Pantry.
Join Leeds Art Fund today for free unlimited entry (during normal hours) to Temple Newsam.