Siona Mackelworth, communications lead for York Museums Trust which runs the gallery, said the team is “bowled over” by the response to the Claude Monet exhibition.
As The Press reported, the exhibition, which ran from May to September, was centred around Monet’s The Water-Lily Pond.
York Art Gallery (Image: York Museums Trust) It included 32 high quality loans from national and regional collections, and specially commissioned large-scale works by leading contemporary artist Michaela Yearwood-Dan created in response to Monet’s work.
Monet was one of the founders of the Impressionist movement, developed in France during the 19th century when painters would work outdoors rather than in a studio.
The Water-Lily Pond – completed in 1899 – is of Monet’s water garden in Giverny, France, which became his main obsession during his later career.
Naomi Gorringe, Steve Williams, Dr Beatrice Bertram and Hannah Savage with a cake from Bettys to celebrate Monet’s masterpiece being in York (Image: York Museums Trust) It arrived in York from the National Gallery in London as part of the National Treasures programme to celebrate the 200th year of the gallery.
Twelve of the gallery’s partners hosted a masterpiece from its collection to celebrate the occasion.
Siona said the York Museums Trust – an independent charity which also manages York Castle, Yorkshire Museum and Museum Gardens – aims to “provide a broad range of opportunities” for people in the city.
“Monet in York did just that – inside and out,” she said, adding: “We are bowled over by the warm feedback as well as the numbers from the Monet exhibition.”
Park Grove children get creative at the art gallery during the Monet exhibition (Image: Gareth Buddo) Siona added that an exhibition on textiles designer William Morris at the art gallery, which runs until February 23, 2025, is also proving to be popular.
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Original wallpaper designs by Morris are on show as well as the work that inspired him, including rare Victorian and Japanese designs dating from the 1830s.
A visitor looks on at the William Morris exhibition at York Art Gallery (Image: Duncan Lomax/Ravage Productions) Siona described the exhibition is a “lovely combination of imagination and familiarity”.
“Our visitors are just loving original works by William Morris, his inspirations and those who were inspired to produce some of the country’s best loved patterns plus our events are as ever popular.”
She said: “York Art Gallery is such a lovely exhibition space; we are so lucky as a city to have such a gallery.”
An original printing block at Morris and Co at York Art Gallery (Image: Gareth Buddo) A York Museums Trust spokesperson added: “As 2024 draws to a close, the team at York Art Gallery are working hard to ensure a varied and high-quality programme of exhibitions is in place to accompany its wonderful permanent collections.
“While Monet and Morris share colour, vivacity and imagination, York Art Gallery continues to offer a surprising rollcall of artists’ work on show. Watch this space for 2025!”
