Preview of the Noel Leaver Paintings together with display of the bust of Charles Towneley recently acquired for the Hall
Friday March 6th 2009
On the 6th March, The Towneley Hall society hosted a preview evening of the Bracewell Collection of Noel Leaver paintings. Dr Peter Bracewell had left this collection to The Towneley Hall Society in gratitude for the pleasure he had derived from the paintings, this collection having started after visiting an exhibition of the artist’s works at Towneley in 1983.
This collection of 61 Noel Leaver watercolours includes paintings from his early period in the 1920’s right up to his last exhibition in the 1950s and cover Eastern subjects, English Cathedrals, townscapes and landscapes, Continental subjects, flower studies and even American scenes.
The recently acquired bust of Charles Towneley was also on display. The bust had been prevented from being exported to America largely due to the work of Marjorie Trusted (2nd from left in the photo, senior keeper of Sculpture at the V&A Museum) who advised that the Bust should have a starred export stop placed on it.
Marjorie and Susan Bourne (far right in the photo) our curator of Towneley Hall, were mainly responsible for seeking funding for the purchase of the bust to enable its return to Towneley Hall. Marjorie gave a brief talk about the bust and the work involved in preventing its sale overseas. Other members of the Towneley Hall Society in the photo are, from left to right:
Colin Sanderson (President), Rita Walsh (Secretary), Cynthia Sanderson, (Publicity), Tony Mitchell (Chairman)
A welcome drink and nibbles were included for all attendees and the event and was very much enjoyed by all.
