1. Sarah Rose (b.1928)

A David Bomberg Legacy – The Sarah Rose Collection was opened to the public, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, in June 2012. This remarkable collection of artworks is only in the public domain because of Sarah Rose.

Sarah Rose is an independent collector who built up the collection over 30 years. She wanted to draw more attention to the work of Bomberg and his peers, and to share his work with the public to prompt new research and ‘creative responses’.

The 56 works held at the gallery can be seen here.

Washing of the Feet, Church of St James, Jerusalem

Washing of the Feet, Church of St James, Jerusalem 1925 (?)

David Bomberg (1890–1957)

A David Bomberg Legacy – The Sarah Rose Collection at London South Bank University, Borough Road

2. Joséphine Bowes (1825–1874)

Born in 1825, Joséphine Bowes was a French actress in the Théâtre des Variétés, Paris, which was owned by John Bowes between 1848 and 1852. In 1852 she and John married, and by 1869 they founded The Bowes Museum.

She started collecting for the Museum in Paris and was influenced by Louis XV’s chief mistress, Madame du Barry. It was always her intention to create a public museum to house the collection. She bought almost daily for over 12 years and predominantly bought antiques.

The Bowes collection can be found here.

Joséphine Bowes (1825–1874)

Joséphine Bowes (1825–1874) c.1852–1860

Louis William Desanges (1822–1906) (attributed to)

The Bowes Museum

3. Dame Margaret Greville (1863–1942)

Daughter of William McEwan, a brewery multimillionaire, Dame Margaret Greville married the eldest son of 2nd Baron Greville when she was 28. He died 17 years later and the couple had no children.

When she died, Dame Margaret Greville bequeathed all her jewels to The Queen Mother, but she bequeathed her estate, Polesden Lacey, to the National Trust.

The collection of art bequeathed by Greville in Polesden Lacey can be found here.

4. Kathleen Epstein (1901–1979)

Kathleen Garman was the second wife of Jacob Epstein, and they were together until he died in 1959. Their daughter Kitty Garman was the first wife of Lucian Freud.

Their relationship was not always an easy affair – in fact, in 1923 Epstein’s first wife shot Kathleen in the shoulder with a pearl-handled pistol!

Kathleen donated her collection of artworks to the borough of Walsall in 1972.

All works gifted by her can be found here.

More about The New Art Gallery Walsall can be found here.

Kitty

Kitty 1948–1949

Lucian Freud (1922–2011)

The New Art Gallery Walsall

5. Mary Anne Barbara Holburne (1802–1882)

In 1882 Miss Holburne, youngest sister of Sir William Holburne (1793–1874), bequeathed her brother’s collection of over 4,000 objects, pictures and books to the people of Bath. The museum was set up after her death, but it was her intention to create a public museum. Tragically, she fell ill and died before she could purchase a home for the collection.

Miss Holburne never married and lived with her brother in Cavendish Crescent in Bath.

There are 200 artworks on Art UK bequeathed by Miss Holburne.

Ruins of a Temple with an Apostle Preaching

Ruins of a Temple with an Apostle Preaching c.1719

Giovanni Paolo Panini (1691–1765)

The Holburne Museum

Alice Payne, Art UK Senior Editor