Exceptional art collection to be exhibited at Fulham Palace

by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
05/03/2008

World-class art to be exhibited at Fulham Palace

An exceptional collection of paintings - never seen in public in full before - will be exhibited for the first time in May. 

Nearly all the 53 paintings and drawings, bequeathed to the former Metropolitan Borough of Fulham by art collector Cecil French in 1953, will be on show to the public from 22 May to 1 June at Fulham Palace in an exhibition titled ‘Beauty Never Fails’.

You can visit the exhibition website at www.beautyneverfails.org (opens new window).

The bequest includes late 19th and early 20th century British artists and comprises 26 paintings by the genius, Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, who lived in Fulham. Also on show will be important works from Lord, Frederic Leighton, Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema and George Watts.

The exhibition is being organised by the Mayor of Hammersmith & Fulham, Cllr Minnie Scott Russell, with proceeds in favour of the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust. This charity aims to increase public awareness about the nature, symptoms and dangers of depression. 

The Mayor is very grateful to the Council for their loan of the collection for this deserving cause in the setting of the Grade One listed building, Fulham Palace, where it will be on show.

"I hope as many people as possible will visit Fulham Palace so that they can see at first hand this wonderful collection." said The Mayor, Cllr Scott Russell. There will be two private views on the evenings of May 21st and May 22nd and a press preview on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st. 

Cllr Frances Stainton, H&F Cabinet Member for Culture and Heritage, said: "This exhibition of the borough's fine collection gives residents a nice opportunity to see the Cecil French Bequest in Fulham.

"Most importantly, the famous Wheel of Fortune, which conservators advise can only be moved for restoration, will be allowed to 'stop over' at the exhibition on its way to the restoration studio, thanks to the generosity of an art lover."

Cllr Stainton added: "We are most grateful to them and also to Leighton House which included two smaller works in their recent restoration, along with Piers Feetham, the Conservation Framer who has enabled another work to be included in the exhibition. The collection too needs help to restore some of its works and we warmly welcome offers of support."

Among the paintings in the Cecil French Bequest are ‘Cupid delivering Psyche’, an instantly recognisable Burne-Jones painting and ‘The Garland’.

Other notable paintings are ‘Mariana in the South’ by John William Waterhouse and ‘Mother and Child – Threads of Life’ by Frederick Cayley Robinson.

The Cecil French Bequest has been housed since 1983 at Leighton House Museum, Kensington where seven of the paintings are on permanent show. Others can be seen on request since the works on paper cannot be exposed to constant light. 

Cllr Stainton added: "After the exhibition, the paintings will be returned to Leighton House who we are profoundly grateful to. The intention is that they will then come back to the borough - to be housed at Fulham Palace when the plans are complete - so that they can be viewed by residents and visitors alike."

Visit the exhibition website at www.beautyneverfails.org (opens new window).

View the collection online at www.lbhf.gov.uk/external/beyondburnejones (opens new window).