Bedford Gallery

The gallery during the 'Treasures' exhibiton.

Bedford Gallery is the new, state-of-the art exhibiton space for Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and Bedford Museum. It was officially opened on 1st April 2009 by Stephen Deuchar, Director of Tate Britain, and the late Frank Branston, Mayor of Bedford.

In 1837, Charles Higgins bought the lease for Castle Lane from the Duke of Bedford. The lease required Higgins to build a house on the site; between 1840 and 1841 the building we now
call Bedford Gallery was constructed. Bedford Gallery was originally designed to be used as a
clubhouse known as ‘Castle Rooms’, for supporters and members of the Whig party. Rate books from the time show that it was divided into 3 sections: a house, club rooms and a
cellar.

Bedford Gallery as it is today, over 150 years since it was first built as 'The Castle Rooms'.

From 1848, the building was used by the Bunyan Meeting as a Sunday School, for Church gatherings and for teas. This lasted until the 1880s; listings show that it was then used by the
Plymouth Brethren, a non-denominational Christian movement. In the early part of the 20th century it became a billiard hall.


For some time during World War Two, the British Broadcasting Corporation music department is believed to have used Bedford Gallery as a rehearsal and recording studio. In August 1941 the
BBC had evacuated several departments from London to Bedford; other local buildings used included the Corn Exchange and the Great Hall of Bedford School.

After the war, the building returned to use as a billiard hall and table tennis saloon, and some of our older visitors recall spending many youthful days here. In 1960, it was given over to the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and renamed Bedford Gallery; from then until 1973 it was a venue for exhibitions and events.

After being closed for over 30 years, Bedford Gallery was earmarked for a £2.5m refurbishment. The project, funded by Government and Bedford Borough Council, has created a
state-of-the-art venue that will house a varied and exciting programme of temporary exhibitions, including touring exhibitions from national museums and galleries.

The versatile display methods transform the gallery for the 'Edward Bawden' exhibiton.

Forthcoming exhibitions include:
October 2009 Edward Bawden
Autumn 2010 Airship R101
January 2011 Toulouse-Lautrec

The refurbishment of Bedford Gallery forms Phase 1 of the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum Development Project, which will see the creation of a flagship heritage attraction at the heart of Bedford’s Cultural Quarter.

Events for children

Sat 3rd October The Big Bawden Draw
11 am – 4pm FREE
Come and celebrate the opening of our Edward Bawden exhibition at Bedford Gallery with a Big Draw event inspired by the creativity of this original artist.

Mon 26th Oct Poster Power!
2pm – 3.30pm, 8+yrs
£5, booking essential. Call 01234 353323
Poster design and illustration at Bedford Gallery with artist Jonny Hannah

Thur 29th Oct Linocut Landscapes
2pm – 3.30pm, 8+yrs.
£5, booking essential. Call 01234 353323
Held at Bedford Museum, come along to cut and print your own lino design (involves sharp tools!)

Film screenings

Bedford Gallery will be open from 5pm ‘til late, with films starting at 7pm, no need to book. Free event.

See Edward Bawden’s posters for these classic films upstairs then watch the films downstairs.

Thur 3rd Dec The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953)
Ealing comedy, starring Stanley Holloway and George Relph

Thur 21st Jan Hue & Cry (1947)
Ealing comedy starring Alastair Sim

Artists’ talks and workshops at Bedford Gallery

Sat 10th Oct
Linocut Workshop with artist Christopher Brown

11.30am – 3.30pm
FREE event, booking essential. Call 01234 353323
Talk and linocut demonstration from printmaker Chris Brown followed by a chance to make your own linocut print.
Christopher Brown studied at the Royal College of Art where he was introduced to, and eventually assisted, Edward Bawden. Bawden encouraged him to explore linocut as a medium; since then, Christopher has exhibited at the Royal Academy and the V&A.

Sat 14th November
Curwen Studio Taster Days

Booking essential. Call 01234 353323 to book your place.
Printmaking ‘taster’ day at the Curwen Studio. £25 per person (price includes a light lunch) The Curwen Studio, Chilford Hall Linton, Cambridge, CB21 4LE

Many of Edward Bawden’s best known works were printed at the Curwen Press and later the Curwen Studio. Today the Curwen Studio continues to offer facilities for artists’ original printmaking. Taster days offer an opportunity to visit the studio, view the archives, discover how lithography works, and make an original print working alongside experience printmakers.

Thur 22nd Oct Edward Bawden

7pm, booking essential. Call 01234 353323
£10 (price includes refreshments)
An evening lecture at Bedford Gallery, from Peyton Skipwith, Bawden’s Literary Executor and a former director of the Fine Art Society, Bawden’s main London dealer.

Fri 6th November & Fri 20th November
Edward Bawden Archive Afternoon

FREE event. 2pm – 4pm
The archive afternoons are free to attend. Come along to Bedford Gallery between 2 and 4pm to explore works by Edward Bawden that are not included in the exhibition. Art Gallery and Museum staff will be on hand to guide you through the archive – the largest of its kind in the world.


Sat 7th Nov
Illustration and typography workshop with designer Jonny Hannah

FREE event, 2pm – 4pm. Booking essential. Call 01234 353323
Jonny Hannah studied illustration at Liverpool Art School and the Royal College of Art. He works as a commercial illustrator for clients including The Daily Telegraph and produces prints, posters and books through his own Cake & Ale Press.

Sat 23rd Jan
Collage workshop with artist Mark Hearld

FREE event, 2pm – 4pm. Booking essential. Call 01234 353323
Mark Hearld studied illustration at Glasgow School of Art followed by an MA in Natural History Illustration at the Royal College of Art. Working across a number of mediums, he takes inspiration from the flora and fauna of Britain and is influenced by Bawden.

Press

Here are a list of articles in the national press that cover the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery Collections and the opening of Bedford Gallery.

Peyton Skipworth has written an article that appears on page 20 of the Royal Academy Magazine, browsable online

Click on the image to the left to read Martin Gayford's article about Bawden in the Telegraph of Saturday 26th September.

Articles appeared in The New Statesman, May 2009 and

Culture 24, April 2009 about the Cecil Higgins collection when the Treasures exhibiton opened in April.

The Tate website still features information on the colelction from the Treasures show that featured at Tate Britain from 15th September 2008 until 15th February 2009.

Exhibitions at Bedford Museum

pARTicipate 22nd Sept – 18th Oct
An exhibition celebrating artistic talent, diversity, culture and good work young people do in the community, contributing to Bedford’s heritage.

Winds of Change 24th Oct – 3rd Jan
Exploring the varied and surprising links between Bedfordshire and Japan. Part of Japan-UK 150, celebrating 150 years of official reading links between Japan and the UK.

Free Lectures

There are a number of lunchtime talks to accompany the exhibitons on Edward Bawden at Bedford Gallery and the Winds of Change exhibiton at Bedford Museum. These talks are free to attend, and are held at Bedford Gallery on the dates stated below. All talks are by gallery staff unless stated.

7th Oct Lunchtime talk: The Edward Bawden archive 1pm – 1.30pm

21st Oct Lunchtime talk: Edward Bawden: Master of the linocut 1pm – 1.30pm

4th Nov Lunchtime talk: Bedfordshire & Japan Part 1 (Marion Maule) 1pm – 1.30pm

11th Nov Lunchtime talk: Printmaking at The Curwen with Tom Martin, Studio Manager 1pm – 1.30pm

12th Nov Evening lecture: Winds of Exchange (Marion Maule) 7pm

18th Nov Lunchtime talk: Bedfordshire & Japan Part 2 (Marion Maule) 1pm – 1.30pm

2nd Dec Lunchtime talk: Bawden and his Circle 1pm – 1.30pm

8th Dec Evening lecture: Admiral Smyth and astronomy in Bedford 7pm

6th Jan Lunchtime talk: Eric Ravilious 1pm – 1.30pm

20th Jan Lunchtime talk: Edward Bawden: Art vs. Design 1pm – 1.30pm

Edward Bawden

3rd October 2009 – 31st January 2010 at Bedford Gallery

From 1981 – 1989 Edward Bawden (1903 – 1989) donated the contents of his studio to the Art Gallery. Edward Bawden was one of Britain’s most original and versatile artists, known for his inventive and often humorous illustrations. This major exhibition sees much of this work on show for the very first time. It covers every medium Bawden used, from watercolours and prints to examples of his commercial design.

The exhibition is accompanied by Edward Bawden by Caroline Bacon and James MacGregor. An illustrated catalogue of the wonderful collection at Cecil Higgins Art Gallery. The book is available at both the museum and gallery shops, or you can order a copy over the phone on 01234 211222 or 01234 353323.

Illustrated in colour throughout, and featuring previously unpublished material.
Edition limited to 2,000 copies
RRP £25
ISBN 0-9512657-5-8

In celebration of the Edward Bawden exhibition, Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and Bedford Museum have also commissioned a limited edition print from the artist Mark Hearld who is inspired by Bawden’s work. ‘Rooster and Railway Carriage’ is a lithographic print in a limited edition of 75. The print costs £225 (plus postage and packing) and measures approximately 485mm by 670mm. It is available by contacting the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum on 01234 353323 and will also be on sale from the Bedford Gallery shop during the Edward Bawden exhibition.

Mark Hearld, ‘Rooster and Railway Carriage’ 2009

Cecil Higgins Art Gallery

The Cecil Higgins Museum, as it was formerly known, opened its doors to the public on 25th July 1949. It had been created by the philanthropic brewer, Cecil Higgins (1856-1941) to house his collection of ceramics, glass and objets d’art ‘for the benefit, interest and education of the inhabitants of, and visitors to, Bedford’. As a shrewd businessman he realised that public museums were vulnerable, and to protect his collection he left a very complex will, which stipulated how the museum was to be organised. He also left a considerable trust fund, to be used for museum purposes, but principally for acquiring works of art (which included Decorative and Applied). While the collection of ceramics and glass was of the finest quality (each had been selected by James Kiddell of Sotheby’s), the collection lacked any notable paintings, save a few 18th century oils and a small collection of miniatures. The Art Gallery Board made the important decision to collect English watercolours in 1951. By the terms of Cecil Higgins’ will, all acquisitions have to be approved by a ‘recognised artistic authority such as ….the Victoria and Albert Museum’ and in 1951, the then Director of the V&A, Sir Leigh Ashton, nominated Graham Reynolds, then Deputy Keeper of the Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design, to approve all watercolours and drawings for acquisition. Graham Reynolds remained an advisor until 1955 when he was succeeded by two leading authorities in their respective fields who were to shape and expand the collection significantly; Edward Croft-Murray (1907-1980) of the British Museum and Ronald Alley (1926-99) of the Tate Gallery, from 1957.

The period between 1952 and 1964 were the most productive in terms of collecting watercolours. Over 500 were acquired in twelve years. The Gallery was able to achieve this by the availability of watercolours from private collections in the post-war years and the generosity of Cecil Higgins. Edward Croft-Murray and Ronald Alley each brought their knowledge, vision and taste to the growing collection. Their collecting was divided - Croft-Murray to works made pre-1850 and Alley to post-1850. The Gallery owes a great deal to their dedication and skill, for they were to develop one of the finest post-war collections outside London. That the collection is strong in the greatest painters of every generation is one thing, but that it is also representative of artists who were once popular and influential in their own day and less so at the time of acquisition, is due to their expert scholarship.

Edward Burne-Jones, Cupid Delivering Psyche, 1867.

(c) Trustees of the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery

In 1971, the collecting policy switched to the decorative arts, with the purchase of a large number of pieces from the Handley-Read Collection. The Cecil Higgins Art Gallery now holds over 200 pieces from the collection of Charles and his wife Lavinia, Handley-Read. Charles applied, in 1950, for a post at the Tate, after being rejected he reacted by ‘making a small museum of my own’. They began to form a collection of Victorian work at a time when few scholars and collectors took the period seriously, sometimes tracing the descendants of the architects and designers and buying directly from them. After initially making modest additions to his collection, a number of inheritances in 1964-5 meant that he could accelerate his buying. The Royal academy exhibition Victorian and Edwardian Decorative Art The Handley-Read Collection in 1972 displayed their entire collection, sadly Charles and Lavinia did not live to see it, dying tragically in October and December 1972 consecutively.

From 1988, the focus returned to collecting prints, this time concentrating on the 20th century.
The print collection now numbers over 400 pieces, including work by some of the finest British artists as well as internationally renowned figures such as Picasso, Lichtenstein and Dürer. The collection charts styles as well as print processes, from Whistler’s delicate etchings to Edward Bawden’s magnificent linocuts.

Albrecht Dürer, Adoration of the Kings, 1511

(c) Trustees of the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery

Cecil Higgins Art Gallery is currently closed for major redevelopment, to provide more space in which to exhibit and interpret the works in this important collection. Exhibitons from the Cecil Higgins Collection and touring shows are cureently being held in Bedford Gallery.

The layout of the site

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