Walker Art Gallery

Opened in 1877 and designed by Cornelius Sherlock and H.H. Vale the Walker Art Gallery was named in honour of its principal benefactor Sir Andrew Barclay Walker (1824-1893). In 1933 a new extension made it by far the largest of the English regional art galleries, and it began to collect first historic British art and later European art on a considerable scale. In 1948 it received the famous collection of early Netherlandish and Italian paintings formed by William Roscoe early in the nineteenth century. The Gallery houses an eclectic collection ranging from Italian Renaissance paintings through to Old Master works that include Rembrandt and Poussin and the French Impressionist Degas. Also in the collection are many Pre-Raphaelite works by Rossetti, Millais, Leighton, Watts and Herkomer. The 20th Century is represented by British artists such as Lucian Freud, David Hockney and Gilbert and George as well as a major sculpture collection.

The Walker Art Gallery suspended exhibitions during World War II and did not reopen until its renovation was complete in the 1950's. During this closure, Liverpool Corporation relocated its exhibitions programme to the Bluecoat Gallery and the venue effectively became the city's main art gallery, hosting over 170 exhibitions. Many in this period were originated by the Walker staff, with several touring shows brought in from the Contemporary Art Society, CEMA/the Arts Council of Great Britain and elsewhere.

The Walker Art Gallery staged the first John Moores Liverpool Exhibition in 1957. Sponsored by Sir John Moores, founder of the Littlewoods Pools and Empire Stores, the competition comprising contemporary paintings from across the UK has been held every two years. It is the biggest painting prize in the UK and since 1980 the gallery has always purchased the winning entry. In 2004, the gallery staged The Stuckists Punk Victorian, the first national museum exhibition of the Stuckist art movement which was also shown at the nearby Lady Lever Art Gallery at Port Sunlight.

In 1978 it took over the Lady Lever Art Gallery, immensely rich in British paintings, sculpture and furniture, and in both English and Chinese ceramics. Reflecting its pre-eminence among British provincial galleries, in 1986 the Walker Art Gallery became a national gallery, funded by central government.

Number of Artists referenced: 4,703