Issue 37 Spring 23 WEB - Flipbook - Page 90
Hogarth’s Britons: Succession, Patriotism, and the 1745
Jacobite Rebellion can be seen at Derby Museum and Art
Gallery from Friday 10 March until Sunday 4 June 2023.
Admission to the exhibition is free with an ask to ‘Give
What You Think’.
The exhibition offers an additional layer of interest with
smaller items of decorative art and beautiful, intricate
pieces of jewellery from both private and national collections including the V&A and the British Museum.
Through these objects, the exhibition explores how ordinary people expressed their loyalties during the 1700s,
either to King George II or (often secretly) to the Stuart
cause. Derby Museums also holds an important collection
of objects relating to the Jacobite Rebellion, including an
extraordinary diamond ring thought to have been given
to a Mrs Ward of Derby by Charles Edward Stuart himself
for providing the services of her son as the prince’s food
taster. Thisis just one of many items from the museums’
own collections on display this spring.
An accompanying catalogue, exploring the major themes
and illustrating the contents of the exhibition, has been
written by Dr Jacqueline Riding, with contributions by
Lucy Bamford. Supported by grants from the Paul Mellon
Centreand produced by Paul Holberton Publishing, it will
be available to purchase from Derby Museums’ shop,
priced £15.
More information can be found on Derby Museums’
website: derbymuseums.org.
Tony Butler, Executive Director of Derby Museums said:
“We’re thrilled to bring this exhibition to Derby and to be
working alongside national museums such as The National
Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. It exemplifies the
ambition of Derby Museums to be presenting an exhibition of
this calibre to audiences outside of London. It seems fitting, as
for that week in December 1745, the fate of the entire kingdom
was dependent of a decision made in this Midlands city.
The emerging British identity,which Hogarth documents, is
shaped as much by life on the River Derwent as by the
Thames. Our thanks also to Dr Jacqueline Riding, Hogarth
expert and co-curator, who developed this exhibition and whose
work with our own staff has now made it a reality.”
“Despite a really tough funding environment, we have been
well supported by trusts and foundations as well as by individual donors from Derby and other parts of the UK. They have
all recognised the importance of sharing nationally important
collections with regional museums. We expect to draw in audiences far and wide to see this intriguing exhibition and hope
they also experience our other museums,including the critically
acclaimed, award-winning Museum of Making.An ambitious
programme is crucial to the survival of our regional museums
and galleries.”
Above, Allan Ramsay, Flora MacDonald, 1749
© Ashmolean Museum
Sophia Weston, Trustee of the Garfield Weston
Foundation, said:“It is wonderful to see so many important
works by such a definitive British artist gathered together in
Derby for this ambitious exhibition. We are delighted to be able
to support this project through our Weston Loan Programme,
which is dedicated to supporting regional organisations to secure important loans just like these.” An important legacy of
the exhibition for Derby Museums is the knowledge and
skills exchange that will be gained through collaboration
with the National Gallery, and with the National Portrait
Gallery’s National Skills Sharing Partnership Programme.
Through these partnerships, the museum will benefit from
expert curatorial and art handling support, networking
with other museums to develop work around collaborative display, mentoring, seminars and internships, and
enabling Derby Museums to re-assess and re-invigorate
its own collections in new and exciting ways.
Above, Unknown maker, ring (thought to have been given to a
MrsWard of Derby by Charles Edward Stuart for providing the
services of her son as the prince’s food taster), diamonds and gold
© Derby Museums - Rick Tailby
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