AGENDA ITEM NO. 8(ii)

REPORT TO: / Executive Board
REPORT NO: / COLLC/ 10/04
DATE: / 20 April 2004
REPORTING OFFICER: / Chief Leisure, Libraries & Culture Officer
CONTACT OFFICER: / Hazel Hawarden (Ext. 7440)
SUBJECT: / Potential Museum Acquisition – Portrait of Sir Foster Cunliffe
WARD: / N/A

1PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

To inform members of the opportunity to acquire a portrait of Sir Foster Cunliffe for the Wrexham County Borough Museum collection, and to seek approval for a proposed fundraising campaign to acquire the painting.

22INFORMATION

2.12.1Policy Framework

The acquisition of the painting falls within the scope of the Council’s Museum Acquisition and Disposal Policy, relating in particular to the criteria for acquiring works of fine art that show local people.

b)2.2Budget

The Council has only a small sum of money allocated within the museum annual revenue budget for purchase of new acquisitions. An independent valuation of the painting will be undertaken, however, the vendor’s current asking price is £125,000. In order to meet the purchase price therefore, it will be necessary to develop a package of funding that would include the following measures:

  • Submission of applications for grant support to a range of external funding sources, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Art Collection Fund, and the V&A Purchase Fund.
  • A local fundraising campaign including a public donations appeal, in association with the Friends of Wrexham Museum, and a contribution from the Council’s museum purchase fund to act as partnership funding for any external grant support.

2.3Consultation

In line with the Council’s Museum Acquisition and Disposal Policy, consultation has been undertaken with the National Museums & Galleries of Wales and the Clwyd Fine Arts Trust, as well as the potential funding sources.

2.4Overview and Scrutiny Committee(s) comments

None

2.5Further Information

2.5.1An opportunity has arisen for the County Borough Museum to acquire a portrait of Sir Foster Cunliffe (1755-1834), painted in oil on canvas by the artist John Hoppner R.A. (1758-1810). A London-based art dealer has offered the painting for sale to the Council before going to auction.

The portrait shows Sir Foster Cunliffe, 3rd Baronet of Acton Park, Wrexham, standing full length in a wooded landscape - most probably his country seat at Acton Park - wearing archer’s uniform and carrying a longbow.

Sir Foster was a keen collector of paintings and was known to have patronised amongst others, Sir Joshua Reynolds who was Hoppner’s initial mentor. Along with Sir Foster’s interest in the arts – he added a new classical block designed by James Wyatt to Acton Hall, which he had purchased in 1785, and had the ‘Four Dogs’ gateway erected in 1820 – he was a keen and active archer. He introduced the sport to Cheshire and Northwest England and went on to found the Royal British Bowmen, one of the first societies to be founded after the revival of the sport in the late 18th century. The Society had strong associations with the Wrexham area, meeting at many of the local great houses including Acton Park, Wynnstay, Gwersyllt and Erddig Hall (one well-known engraving that has survived depicts a meeting at Erddig in 1822), and comprised leading members of Wrexham society. It was also the first archery society to admit women members. Sir Foster was Major Commandant of the Denbighshire Yeomanry and High Sheriff of Denbighshire in 1787.

The painting was produced during the late 1780’s, considered by many to be Hoppner’s finest period. Hoppner was the most significant young portraitist of his day and regarded as the professional heir to Gainsborough, Reynolds and Romney. In the 1790’s he painted a number of portraits of members of the royal family and many of his portraits are now held by major museums around the world.

2.5.2A series of events is being planned to support the local public fundraising campaign, including lectures, archery demonstrations and a sponsored walk. The local fundraising target is £10,000.

2.5.3In order to assist the fundraising campaign, the vendor has agreed to let the painting be exhibited to the public at Wrexham County Borough Museum for a limited period of time. The only other occasion when the painting is known to have been publicly exhibited at Wrexham, was for the 1876 Eisteddfod.

3RECOMMENDATION

To authorise the Chief Leisure, Libraries and Culture Officer to acquire the painting for the Wrexham County Borough Museum collection, subject to sufficient funds being raised through the proposed fundraising campaign.

4REASONS FOR THE RECOMMENDATION

The painting has strong local associations, is in line with the Council’s Museum Acquisition and Disposal Policy, and would be a significant addition to the Wrexham County Borough Museum collection.

5BACKGROUND PAPERS

None.

6WEBSITE INFORMATION

None.