The Ingram Collection – the biggest privately owned publicly accessible collection of Modern British and Contemporary Art – announces two new, important acquisitions: Heavy Insect by William Turnbull, a 1949 bronze created at a critical moment in the artist’s early career, and Study for Beauty Queens by William Roberts, the preparatory study for the finished oil painting already acquired by The Ingram Collection in 2011.
Heavy Insect, 1949, bronze, 52 x 84.5 x 22.2cm
William Turnbull (1922-2012), Heavy Insect, 1949 (Photo: Prudence Cuming Associates, courtesy Offer Waterman, London © Estate of the Artist)
Conceived whilst William Turnbull was living in Paris in 1949, Heavy Insect is considered to be one of the artist’s most important works. It has been included in major Turnbull retrospectives (Tate, 1973 and Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 2005) and marks a significant moment in British post-war sculpture.
Returning from Paris – where he had the opportunity to associate with, amongst other eminent artists, Constantin Brancusi and Alberto Giacometti – William Turnbull’s first show in London was with fellow Scot Eduardo Paolozzi, with whom he would become one of the leading protagonists of the Independent Group. Both artists are today represented in The Ingram Collection.
Study for Beauty Queens, c.1974, pencil and watercolour, 12.7 x 15.9 cm
William Roberts is recognised as one of the most distinctive artists of the twentieth century. The addition of this preparatory study to accompany the finished oil painting Beauty Queens (1974) reflects Chris Ingram’s interest in the artistic process, and strengthens The Ingram Collection as an unrivalled source to study in depth the work of many of the 20th century’s leading artists.
The study and finished oil will be displayed alongside each other.
Jo Baring comments: “The Ingram Collection is one of the finest surveys of 20th century British art, comprising almost 650 paintings, sculptures and drawings of which over 400 are by the most important artists of the Modern British era.”
“These new acquisitions demonstrate Chris Ingram’s commitment to continue to build The Ingram Collection, ensuring it maintains its position as one of the nation’s most significant collections of 20th century art.”
Chris Ingram says: “I love sharing The Collection, and enjoy putting it together with a great deal of care, sourcing drawings and maquettes in addition to finished paintings and sculpture. I am increasingly interested in draughtsmanship, and think it is a hugely important skill. Drawing is the place for an artist to start in my view, and the opportunity to see this newly acquired Roberts study alongside the finished painting demonstrates the artist’s talent and mastery.”
For press information:
Tamsin Williams – tamsin@wigwampr.com – 01483 563562 – 07939 651252