Bolton Museum opened in the middle of the elegant Le Mans Crescent in 1947. The 20th Century collection was considerably first with the bequest from Bolton cotton manufacturer, Frank Hindley Smith, who was friends with Roger Fry, Maynard Keynes and Samuel Courtauld, and so was able to introduce paintings by Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and William Roberts into the collection. Guided by the Walker Art Gallery, contemporary sculpture by Jacob Epstein, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth was purchased and the donation of the Sycamore Collection of British printmaking from 1900 to 1960 alongside other gifts and acquisitions has enabled Bolton to develop a collection of some distinction.

44 artworks
Gypsy Musician
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Gypsy Musician 1937

John Richardson Gauld (1885–1961)

Oil on canvas

H 68 x W 51 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Campers by a Stream
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Campers by a Stream

William Bernard Adeney (1878–1966)

Oil on canvas

H 41.5 x W 54.4 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Composition (The Twig)
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Composition (The Twig) 1931

John Armstrong (1893–1973)

Oil on canvas

H 49 x W 69 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Goat Man and Guitar
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Goat Man and Guitar

John Banting (1902–1972)

Oil on board

H 105 x W 80 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Mediterranean Landscape
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Mediterranean Landscape 1925

Keith Baynes (1887–1977)

Oil on canvas

H 59 x W 49 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

View into a Garden
© estate of Vanessa Bell. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

View into a Garden 1926

Vanessa Bell (1879–1961)

Oil on board

H 70 x W 56 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Construction, Rock and Water
© the Sandra Blow estate partnership. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Construction, Rock and Water 1953

Sandra Blow (1925–2006)

Oil, gouache, gum & scratching out on board

H 49.5 x W 66 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Tonge Moor Road, Bolton
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Tonge Moor Road, Bolton

Brian Bradshaw (1923–2016)

Oil on canvas

H 90 x W 70 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Four Amaryllis in Pots
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Four Amaryllis in Pots before 1963

John Randall Bratby (1928–1992)

Oil on hardboard

H 120 x W 58.5 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Maquette for 'Winged Figures III'
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Maquette for 'Winged Figures III' 1961

Lynn Chadwick (1914–2003)

Cast bronze

H 64 x W 42 x D 31 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Man Entering a Factory
© estate of Prunella Clough. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Man Entering a Factory 1956

Prunella Clough (1919–1999)

Oil on canvas

H 50.4 x W 30 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Shepherd Seated on a Rock
© estate of John Craxton. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Shepherd Seated on a Rock 1943

John Craxton (1922–2009)

Ripolin on board

H 41 x W 53.4 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Maquette for TUC War Memorial
© The estate of Sir Jacob Epstein / Tate Images. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Maquette for TUC War Memorial 1955

Jacob Epstein (1880–1959)

Cast bronze

H 55 x W 30 x D 16 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

First Study for 'The Chess Players'
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

First Study for 'The Chess Players' 1940

Merlyn Oliver Evans (1910–1973)

Oil on canvas

H 151 x W 151 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Bolton Back Street
© Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Bolton Back Street 1994

Geoffrey Scowcroft Fletcher (1923–2004)

Oil on canvas

H 60 x W 55 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Winged Figure
© The Executors of the Frink Estate and Archive. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2025. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Winged Figure

Elisabeth Frink (1930–1993)

Cast bronze

H 58 x W 22 x D 19 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Composition – Red & Yellow
© estate of Terry Frost. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Composition – Red & Yellow c.1960

Terry Frost (1915–2003)

Oil on canvas

H 76 x W 63.5 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Italian Landscape
Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Italian Landscape 1922

Roger Eliot Fry (1866–1934)

Oil on canvas

H 54 x W 65 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

The French Novel (The Mirror)
Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

The French Novel (The Mirror) 1928

Charles Ginner (1878–1952)

Oil on canvas

H 67 x W 49 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Still Life with Table
© Estate of Duncan Grant. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Still Life with Table 1900–1940

Duncan Grant (1885–1978)

Oil on canvas

H 51 x W 37 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Tea Break, Lots Road, Fulham, London
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Tea Break, Lots Road, Fulham, London 1969

Brian Hagger (1935–2006)

Oil on canvas

H 92 x W 72 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Street Corner, Bolton
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Street Corner, Bolton

Roger Hampson (1925–1996)

Oil on canvas

H 37 x W 24.5 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Three Forms
© Bowness. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Three Forms 1968

Barbara Hepworth (1903–1975)

Carved lignum vitae

H 62 x W 57 x D 23 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Rhode Island Reds
© the artist. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Rhode Island Reds

Lubaina Himid (b.1954)

Oil on canvas

H 83.5 x W 83.5 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Still Life with Poppies
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Still Life with Poppies 1940–1945

Ivon Hitchens (1893–1979)

Oil on canvas

H 80 x W 61 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Bolton Terraces
Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Bolton Terraces c.1937–1950

Humphrey Jennings (1907–1950)

Oil on canvas

H 33 x W 43 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Landscape
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Landscape c.1971

Gwyneth Johnstone (1915–2010)

Oil on board

H 87 x W 105 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

The Cruel Sea
© reproduced with permission of the estate of Dame Laura Knight, DBE, RA / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

The Cruel Sea c.1967

Laura Knight (1877–1970)

Oil on canvas

H 76 x W 64 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Breton Youth
© estate of Henry Lamb / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Breton Youth 1910

Henry Lamb (1883–1960)

Oil on panel

H 32 x W 24 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

The View from the Window, Back Garden, Adelaide Road, London
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

The View from the Window, Back Garden, Adelaide Road, London

Lynton Harold Lamb (1907–1977)

Oil on canvas

H 67 x W 49 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Helmet Head No. 5
© The Henry Moore Foundation. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2025 / www.henry-moore.org. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Helmet Head No. 5 1966

Henry Moore (1898–1986)

Cast bronze

H 42 x W 33 x D 25 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Spanish Women Washing
Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Spanish Women Washing

Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson (1889–1946)

Oil on canvas

H 74 x W 58 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

1940 (Cornish landscape)
© the estate of Angela Verren Taunt. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

1940 (Cornish landscape) 1940

Ben Nicholson (1894–1982)

Oil, tempera & pencil on board

H 25.4 x W 35.6 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Kearsley Power Station
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Kearsley Power Station

John Nicholson (1916–1972)

Oil on canvas

H 49.5 x W 59.5 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

To the Quick No. 5
© the artist. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

To the Quick No. 5 1984

Thérèse Oulton (b.1953)

Oil & encaustic on canvas

H 71 x W 51 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Naked Head
© trustees of the Paolozzi Foundation, licensed by DACS 2025. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Naked Head 1978

Eduardo Luigi Paolozzi (1924–2005)

Cast bronze

H 39.5 x W 36.5 x D 14 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Pennine Landscape
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Pennine Landscape c.1920–1940

Roland Vivian Pitchforth (1895–1982)

Oil on canvas

H 50.8 x W 61 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Bolton Street Scene
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Bolton Street Scene

Stella Platt (1913–2011)

Oil on canvas

H 60 x W 51 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Bath Time (The Miner's Toilet and Wash Night)
© estate of John David Roberts. By courtesy of The William Roberts Society. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Bath Time (The Miner's Toilet and Wash Night) 1928–1935

William Patrick Roberts (1895–1980)

Oil on canvas

H 39 x W 49 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Church Wharf Bridge, Bolton
© the artist. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Church Wharf Bridge, Bolton 1956

Bryan Senior (b.1935)

Oil on board

H 57 x W 74 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Girl in a Green Blouse
© by permission of the copyright holder. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Girl in a Green Blouse 1942

Matthew Arnold Bracy Smith (1879–1959)

Oil on canvas

H 91 x W 59 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Kitchen Bedroom
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Kitchen Bedroom 1930

Albert Edward Turpin (1900–1964)

Oil on canvas

H 29 x W 39 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

The Perspective of Idleness II
Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

The Perspective of Idleness II 1942

Edward Alexander Wadsworth (1889–1949)

Tempera on linen on board

H 80 x W 62 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Arab Children
© Dr Max Block. Image credit: Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council

Arab Children

Erich Wolfsfeld (1884–1956)

Oil on paper

H 75 x W 57 cm

Bolton Library & Museum Services, Bolton Council