Manchester Metropolitan University Special Collections is a museum and gallery whose collections date back to the original Manchester School of Art, which was established as the School of Design in 1838. The collections reflect the history as well as the current interests and practices of the contemporary Faculty of Art and Design. Most of our paintings are from the Manchester School of Art Collection, which is built on collections begun in 1894, and includes important examples of fine and decorative arts with a particular emphasis on the English Arts and Crafts movement and contemporary craft and design. The paintings are in the main examples by former staff and students of the school. Other paintings come from artist's archives, in particular from the archive of leading twentieth century wood engraver and artist, John Farleigh (1900–1965); and from the archive of artist and teacher Joan Hargreaves (1921–2007), ARCA, a one time member of the Manchester Group, and authority in the discipline of anatomy and movement in figure drawing and painting.