A new blockbuster exhibition showcasing Sir William Burrell’s complete collection of prized works by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas (1834-1917) will open at The Burrell Collection on Friday 24 May 2024, announced Glasgow Life, the charity who delivers culture and sport in the city.
Discovering Degas: Collecting in the Age of William Burrell is the first-time visitors can marvel at all 23 Degas works from Burrell’s original collection together in one place, including one from Berwick Museum and Art Gallery. These exquisite works will be enhanced by the display of around 50 further exceptional paintings, works on paper and sculptures on loan from some of the UK and world’s finest national and international collections.
Burrell’s first international exhibition since reopening in 2022 offers a unique opportunity to see a stunning array of the finest works, by one of the world’s most revered artists, exhibited together. Almost 70% of the works are coming on loan from respected collections including The Courtauld, National Museums Liverpool Walker Art Gallery, The National Gallery London, The National Museum Cardiff, and the National Galleries of Scotland in the UK and Musée d’Orsay, Paris.
Discovering Degas gives local communities across Glasgow an exciting way to expand their connection with an exquisite collection that is housed in their city. At the same time the strength and connoisseurship of The Burrell Collection Degas works has assisted Glasgow Life Museums in fostering relationships with some of the greatest art institutions across the world, culminating in a world-class exhibition that will further strengthen the museum’s international appeal and standing.
Frances Fowle, Professor of Nineteenth-Century Art, University of Edinburgh, and Senior Trustee of the Burrell Collection is collaborating with Glasgow Life Museums to curate the exhibition.
Professor Frances Fowle, Senior Trustee, Sir William Burrell Trust, said:
Degas’s work appealed to collectors like Sir William Burrell due to his skilful drawing, as well as his interest in portraying figures in movement. He was extraordinarily modern in his approach, working in a variety of media, adopting unexpected viewpoints and experimenting with bold colours and unusual light effects.
This exhibition demonstrates the whole range of the artist’s output and creates a context for Burrell’s outstanding collection. Among those who developed a taste for Degas were other Glasgow shipbuilders like William McInnes, and several women, among them the yachting enthusiast Elizabeth Workman and the musician Rosalind Maitland.
The exhibition will explore the collecting and buying of Degas artworks by Sir William Burrell and his wife Constance, Lady Burrell, who donated one of the single greatest gifts to the city of Glasgow. As shown in the exhibition through fascinating letters and other archival material, Burrell is amongst the earliest Scottish collectors to buy works by Degas. Over a 40-year collecting period Burrell bought over 20 artworks by Degas, far more than any other UK collector, spanning the artist’s career.
Discovering Degas positions these acquisitions in the context of other British collectors who, in the late 19th and early 20th century, were among the first to fully appreciate the artist and purchase his enduringly appealing works. The show goes on to consider the influence of art dealers, like Alexander Reid, who championed Degas and the artist’s incredible talent for capturing subjects like the ballet, racehorses, and scenes of modern life during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
An accompanying publication, bespoke public programme, and a symposium, offering new opportunities for academic study, will allow visitors to deepen their understanding of Degas’ appeal and learn more about his legacy in Britain.
Since reopening The Burrell Collection has won a multitude of awards, recognised globally for its philosophy on community engagement, approach to digital interpretation, and its work on accessibility, inclusiveness, and sustainability. This exhibition will build on the learnings in each of these areas, which have resulted in 100% of people recently surveyed rating their visit as either excellent or very good.
This is the second exhibition to be held at The Burrell Collection since it reopened in 2022, following a major refurbishment and redesign. Last year it was crowned Art Fund Museum of the Year.
Discovering Degas: Collecting in the Age of William Burrell opens on Friday 24 May 2024 and runs until Monday 30 September 2024.