As we all struggle to remember things before Covid-19, ‘Life in Lockdown’ takes a light-hearted look at art from our collection, created B.C. (Before Coronavirus).


2020 has not gone entirely to plan here at the Russell-Cotes. Our exhibition and event schedule is organised at least 2 years in advance but a global pandemic and national lockdown meant a speedy rethink.


Despite all the tragedy, uncertainty and difficulties, lockdown has brought its positives. Hidden treasures from our stores have been released from quarantine to grace our gallery walls. Reinterpreted through a lockdown lens, you may see these works in a different light.


This is a selected edit of the exhibition which features 87 works. We hope to welcome visitors back soon.

Artists featured in this Curation: Charles Pears (1873–1958), William Lee-Hankey (1869–1952), Henry Marvell Carr (1894–1970), Bohdan von Kleczynski (1851–1916), Elwin Hawthorne (1905–1954), Claude Harrison (1922–2009), Samuel John Lamorna Birch (1869–1955), Eustace Pain Elliott Nash (1886–1969), Leopold Schmutzler (1864–1941), William Bruce Ellis Ranken (1881–1941), and 13 more
23 artworks
Storyline Album Showcase

  • Portraits. The Facetime of their Day

    Charles found it impossible to smoke his pipe with a mask on. He has decided to spend the rest of lockdown on his boat.

    Self Portrait 1944–1946
    Charles Pears (1873–1958)
    Oil on canvas
    H 61.5 x W 51 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Self Portrait
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Portraits. The Facetime of their Day

    Hats, the new essential fashion item for WhatsApp.

    Piccadilly Flower Seller c.1900
    William Lee-Hankey (1869–1952)
    Oil on canvas
    H 60 x W 44.5 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Piccadilly Flower Seller
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Foreign Holidays. Escape to Far Flung Lands Without the Need to Quarantine

    No pasta and wine by the River Tiber until the travel corridor re-opens.

    View in Rome, Italy 1944–1945
    Henry Marvell Carr (1894–1970)
    Oil on canvas
    H 51 x W 91 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    View in Rome, Italy
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Foreign Holidays. Escape to Far Flung Lands Without the Need to Quarantine

    That adventure sledding trip to the Urals will have to wait I am afraid.

    Russian Steppes 1883
    Bohdan von Kleczynski (1851–1916)
    Oil on canvas
    H 71.5 x W 117.5 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Russian Steppes
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Staycationing. Take Inspiration from Our Great British Bucket List

    A must for anyone visiting every lighthouse in the UK.

    North Foreland Lighthouse, Broadstairs, Kent 1929–1931
    Elwin Hawthorne (1905–1954)
    Oil on canvas
    H 46 x W 51.3 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    North Foreland Lighthouse, Broadstairs, Kent
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Staycationing. Take Inspiration from Our Great British Bucket List

    No aspiring glamper should be without his pyjamas.

    The Camper 1950s
    Claude Harrison (1922–2009)
    Oil on board
    H 94 x W 69.3 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    The Camper
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Staycationing. Take Inspiration from Our Great British Bucket List

    Time for some wild bathing!

    The Quarry Pool
    Samuel John Lamorna Birch (1869–1955)
    Oil on canvas
    H 51 x W 61.5 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    The Quarry Pool
    © the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Pleasure & Leisure. Longing for a Carefree Life

    Are you looking forward to next year's Panto Season when all of this will be... behind you?

    Pantomime People 1933–1934
    Eustace Pain Elliott Nash (1886–1969)
    Watercolour on paper
    H 39 x W 32.5 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Pantomime People
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Pleasure & Leisure. Longing for a Carefree Life

    Dancing the gavotte is completely incompatible with Tier 3 restrictions.

    The Minuet 1900
    Leopold Schmutzler (1864–1941)
    Oil on canvas
    H 86 x W 120.5 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    The Minuet
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Home Schooling. Education, Education, Education… at the Kitchen Table

    Even the Star of the Week cup, could not persuade her to complete another minute of home schooling.

    'The Open Window', These Are My Jewels 1937
    William Bruce Ellis Ranken (1881–1941)
    Oil on canvas
    H 140 x W 182 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    'The Open Window', These Are My Jewels
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Home Schooling. Education, Education, Education… at the Kitchen Table

    In her prime, but six weeks home schooling had taken its toll.

    Granny c.1884
    Richard Quick (1860–1939)
    Oil on canvas
    H 44.8 x W 36 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Granny
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • The Great Outdoors. Dorset’s Beauty Spots Have Never Looked So Quiet

    Not a cruise ship to be seen.

    The Needles, Isle of Wight
    Norman Wilkinson (1878–1971)
    Oil on canvas
    H 50 x W 75 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    The Needles, Isle of Wight
    © Norman Wilkinson Estate. All rights reserved, DACS 2023. Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • The Great Outdoors. Dorset’s Beauty Spots Have Never Looked So Quiet

    Forget about social distancing, Miss Chaseley was never going to share her bench anyway.

    Miss Chaseley on the Undercliff 1927
    Maxwell Ashby Armfield (1881–1972)
    Tempera on paper
    H 48.8 x W 98.5 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Miss Chaseley on the Undercliff
    © the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Working from Home. Yet Another Day at the (Home) Office

    Ah, March 2020, when we still cared how neat and tidy our work space was. When wore trousers for our Skype meetings and cared what people thought.

    The Engraver 1938
    Charles Sigrist (1892–1955)
    Oil on board
    H 60 x W 45.8 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    The Engraver
    © the copyright holder. Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Working from Home. Yet Another Day at the (Home) Office

    Some people style their home office to reflect on them when they step away from the webcam. Others don't.

    Fingerprints 1953
    Charles Spencelayh (1865–1958)
    Oil on canvas
    H 43.2 x W 53.4 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Fingerprints
    © Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum. Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Food & Drink. Eat Out to Help Out

    After five days of self isolation they had run out of interesting topics of conversation.

    Tea in the Conservatory (Near Neighbours) 1892
    Henry 'Harry' Edward John Browne (1859–1917)
    Oil on canvas
    H 92 x W 122.5 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Tea in the Conservatory (Near Neighbours)
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Food & Drink. Eat Out to Help Out

    A dinner party before the Rule of 6.

    Banqueting Scene
    Pieter Jacob Horemans (1700–1776) (attributed to)
    Oil on canvas
    H 53 x W 59 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Banqueting Scene
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Food & Drink. Eat Out to Help Out

    Where is my online supermarket delivery order of toilet roll, eggs and flour?

    The Kitchen 1927
    Isabel Codrington (1874–1943)
    Oil on canvas
    H 100.5 x W 67.2 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    The Kitchen
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Zoom. Turn your mic on!

    The first work Microsoft Teams meeting wasn’t going very well

    Four Dreamers
    Michael Cullimore (1936–2021)
    Oil on canvas
    H 51 x W 60.5 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Four Dreamers
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Lockdown Glamour. Staying In is the New Going Out

    Eileen was dressed to impressed for bin day.

    Eileen
    Howard Somerville (1873–1952)
    Oil on canvas
    H 128.4 x W 103 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    Eileen
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Lockdown Glamour. Staying In is the New Going Out

    Hairdressers, the 5th Emergency Service.

    An Officer of the English Civil War
    Peter Lely (1618–1680) (attributed to)
    Oil on canvas
    H 72 x W 61 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    An Officer of the English Civil War
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Hometime Hobbies. Get Creative in Quarantine

    Where’s my Lute Playing for Beginners book?

    'Then to her listening ear responsive chords came familiar, sweet and low' 1881
    Edwin Long (1829–1891)
    Oil on canvas
    H 87.5 x W 105 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    'Then to her listening ear responsive chords came familiar, sweet and low'
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

  • Hometime Hobbies. Get Creative in Quarantine

    Eat your heart out Alan Titchmarsh.

    A Country Garden 1892
    Thomas James Lloyd (1849–1910)
    Oil on canvas
    H 59.7 x W 90 cm
    Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
    A Country Garden
    Image credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

Explore artists in this Curation

View all 23
  • The Minuet
    Leopold Schmutzler (1864–1941)
  • Interior, Card Playing
    Pieter Jacob Horemans (1700–1776)
  • Charles Spencelayh at the Age of 33
    Charles Spencelayh (1865–1958)
  • Portrait of a Lady in Green
    William Bruce Ellis Ranken (1881–1941)
  • A Corner of the Dockyard, Rosyth: Winter
    Charles Pears (1873–1958)
  • Jonah – 16 Studies
    Michael Cullimore (1936–2021)
  • San Gimignano, Italy
    Maxwell Ashby Armfield (1881–1972)
  • Russian Steppes
    Bohdan von Kleczynski (1851–1916)
  • Morning Fills the Bowl
    Samuel John Lamorna Birch (1869–1955)
  • Ireland for Holidays: The Giant's Causeway
    Norman Wilkinson (1878–1971)
  • View all 23
View all