Castle Museum (Nottingham)
Other names: Midland Counties Art Museum (from 1878 to c. 1886); The Corporation Museum and Art Galleries, Nottingham Castle; City of Nottingham Museum and Art Gallery; Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery
Foundation date: 1878
Active: 1878 -
Function: Art gallery and museum
Policy: The Gallery organised annual exhibitions of 'Works by Local Artists' from 1879 onwards. The first Local Artists Exhibition to include sculpture was in 1890. There were no Local Artists Exhibitions from 1904 to 1907 (see Williams, 'The Lives and Works of Nottingham Artists', 1981, pp. 63-64, for further references to these shows).
The Local Artists Exhibitions ceased again in 1939. An exhibition of works by 'Nottingham Artists Today' was organised in 1949 to revive these shows after a ten year gap.
The exhibitions included works by local artists and members of the Nottingham Society of Artists: their members are also listed in the exhibition catalogues. Very few of the sculptors who took part in the Local Artists Exhibitions are also listed as being members of the Nottingham Society of Artists. Although works of sculpture were not shown every year, they were frequently included in these exhibitions.
From 1881 to c. 1892 the Museum organised annual 'Autumn Exhibitions' which included works that had been 'executed within the last three years, and not previously exhibited in the locality' ('Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures', 1881, n.p.). Some of these exhibitions also included loans and works from the museum's permanent collection.
From c. 1893 onwards the exhibitions held in the autumn were normally themed (for example, an exhibition of Cornish painters in 1894, and an exhibition of works by deceased artists in 1898) and focused on painting (see Williams, 'The Lives and Works of Nottingham Artists', 1981, pp. 61-62, for further references to these shows).
Rules: 'An Annual Exhibition of works by local artists is held in May (receiving days early in April), and an Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures and Sculpture in September (receiving days early in August). The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the summer months, and in the winter closes on Wednesdays and Fridays at 4 p.m. Admission, one penny three days in the week; Fridays, Sixpence; Tuesdays and Thursdays, free' (Year's Art, 1890, pp. 129-30).
History or description: The Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery was opened on the 3 July 1878. It was preceded by the Midlands Museum of Art, a temporary museum housed at the Exchange Rooms, Nottingham, that displayed loaned works from its establishment in 1872 to the opening of the Midland Counties Art Museum (Castle Museum)in 1878.
In 1872 Henry Cole (1808-1882) of the Department of Science and Art at South Kensington had suggested that the Castle be converted into a museum and gallery. In 1875 a Castle Museum Committee was founded to realise these plans.
'The Castle was restored as a Museum and Gallery of Art at a cost of £30,000 in 1878. The ground floor is divided into seven courts and contains collections of Decorative and Industrial Art, Mr. Felix Joseph's collection of Wedgwood being arranged in the central court; while in another is placed a collection of classical antiquities, presented by Sir John Savile, G.C.B., the result of excavations on the site of the Temple of Diana Nemorensis' (Year's Art, 1890, p. 129).
Further information is given in M. Cooper, 'Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery: a history' (2005). See also Heather Williams' unpublished PhD thesis 'Lives and works of Nottingham artists' (1981) which is cited by Cooper and traces the development of artistic culture in Nottingham from 1750 to 1914.
Locations
Address Nottingham Castle Nottingham | View on map
1951 (Presumed)
Address Nottingham Castle Nottingham | View on map
1908 (Presumed)
Exhibitions, Courses, Meetings and other Events
Organized Nottingham Artists To-Day, 1949
27 June 1949 - 7 August 1949
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1939
1 July 1939 - 13 August 1939
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1938
21 May 1938 - 3 July 1938
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1937
25 September 1937 - 7 November 1937
Organized The Federation of Midland Art Societies Exhibition, 1936
19 September 1936 - 10 October 1936
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1936
May 1936 - June 1936
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1935
September 1935
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1933
May 1933
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1932
June 1932
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1934
June 1931
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1931
May 1931
Organized Wedgwood Bi-Centenary Exhibition (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1931
1931
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1930
May 1930 (Presumed)
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1929
May 1929 (Presumed)
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1928
1928 (Presumed)
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1927
May 1927 (Presumed)
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1926
May 1926 (Presumed)
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1925
May 1925
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1924
May 1924
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1923
May 1923
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1921
May 1921
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1915
May 1915 (Presumed)
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1914
May 1914
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1914
May 1914
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1913
1913
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1912
May 1912 (Presumed)
Organized Loan Exhibition of Works by Alphonse Legros (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1912
1912
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1909
May 1909 (Presumed)
The exhibition was organised by, and held at, the gallery.
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Society of Artists), 1908
May 1908
The exhibition was organised by, and held at, the gallery.
Organized International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers Exhibition (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1906
1906
Organized Exhibitions of Works by Students of the Municipal School of Art (Nottingham), 1904-1940
1904 (Presumed) - 1940 (Circa)
Organized Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1903
May 1903
Organized Special Loan Exhibition of Paintings of the British School 1878-1903, and Sculpture (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1903
1903
Organized Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1902
May 1902
Organized Twenty-Third Annual Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1901-1902
18 May 1901 - 1901 (Presumed)
Organized Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1901
May 1901
Organized Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1900
May 1900
Organized Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1899
May 1899
Organized Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1898
1898
Organized Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1895
May 1895
Organized Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1892
1892
Took part in Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1892
1892
Organized Eleventh Annual Exhibition of Modern Pictures, also Loan and Permanent Collection of Pictures, Etc. (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1891
1891
Organized Exhibition of Pictures, in Oil and Water Colour, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1890
1890
Organized Exhibition of Works in Oil and Watercolour by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1881
1881
Organized Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures in Oil and Water Colour (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1881
1881
Organized Exhibitions of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1880-1951
1880 (Circa) - 1931
Note that exhibitions were not held at the Castle Gallery from 1904 to 1907; they resumed in May 1908.
Organized Exhibition of Works in Oil and Watercolour by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1879
1879
Organized Sculpture by Mr Else (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1921
Institutional and Business Connections
Collaborated with Nottingham School of Art
1880 (Circa)
From 1880 offered prized to students of the School of Art. From 1890 organised exhibitions of students works: see 'Annual Report of the Castle Museum Committee' (1880), cited in Williams 'The Lives and Works of Nottingham Artists' (1981), p. 65. See also Castle Musuem Committee Papers, 18 November 1890, in which it is first discussed that the 'committee are of the opinion that it is desirable to have an exhibition of works executed by past and present students at the School of Art and the Curator confer with Mr Harrison the Head Master as to the exhibition of a collection of these works during the Autumn exhibition' [summary]. This exhibition was held in December 1890. These exhibitions are still listed in the Castle Musuem and College of Art Committee Annual Report, October 1939.
Collaborated with Nottingham Society of Artists
1881 - 1951 (Circa)
The Society took part in the Castle Museum's annual exhibitions of 'Works by Local Artists' from 1881 onwards. The 1881 'Local Artists' exhibition catalogue suggests that the Castle's exhibitions encouraged the formation of the society. The catalogue states: 'One result which the Committee had in view in promoting an exhibition of this character has been attained in the formation of the Nottingham Society of Artists, the members of which contribute the principal works to the exhibition' [summary]. There were no exhibitions from 1904 to 1907 or from 1939 to 1948. In 1949 the Local Artists exhibitions were revived; there are no specific references regarding NSA involvement in these shows, however, it is likely that artists from the Society participated in these exhibitions.
Collaborated with Nottingham School of Art
1888 (Circa) - 1944 (Circa)
From c. 1888 to 1944 the school was governed by the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee; from 1944 it was governed by the Government Education Committee [see 'History of the College' in 'Opening of the Extensions to the Building' (1951)]. From 1902 onwards joint reports were produced by the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee for Council meetings.
Successor to Midlands Museum of Art
1872 - 1878
The Midlands Musuem of Art was temporaily housed in the Exchange Rooms, Nottingham, until 1878 when it found permanent premises at Nottingham Castle and became the Midland Counties Art Musuem.
Associated People
Directors included George Harry Wallis
1878 (Probable) - 1881 (Presumed)
See also Nottingham Local Artists Card Index: a card in this index lists Wallis as 'Curator of Castle Museum 1877-1929', however, no source is given for the reference.
Employees included James Lees Bilbie
1915 (Circa) - 1931 (Circa)
Curator of the Museum: see card entries in Nottingham Local Artists Card Index, City Archives, Nottingham.
Employees included Eric John Laws
1931 - 1959 (Circa)
Assistant Curator. See extract from the 'Museums Bulletin', vol. 21, no. 8, November, 1981, in the 'Nottingham Local Artists Card Index', City Archives, Nottingham. No end date is specified but Laws took up the post of Art Director and Curator of Wollaton Hall in 1959 [summary].
Sources
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and College of Art Committee, for the year ended 11 July 1941
6 October 1941
p. 1.
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and College of Art Committee, for the year ended 31 March 1935
7 October 1935
p. 1.
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and College of Art Committee, for the year ended 31 March 1936
7 December 1936
p. 1.
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and College of Art Committee, for the year ended 31 March 1937
4 October 1937
p. 1.
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and College of Art Committee, for the year ended 31 March 1938
3 October 1938
p. 1.
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and College of Art Committee, for the year ended 31 March 1939
2 October 1939
p. 1.
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee, for the year ended 31 March 1934
1 October 1934
p. 1.
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee, for the year ending 31 March 1920
4 October 1920
p. 1.
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee, for the year ending 31 March 1921
3 October 1921
p. 1.
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee, for the year ending 31 March 1922
2 October 1922
p. 1.
Annual Report of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee, for the year ending 31 March 1931
5 October 1931
p. 1.
Catalogue of Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1897
1897
pp. 1-87.
Catalogue of Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1898
1898
pp. 1-76.
Catalogue of the Twenty-First Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1899
May 1899
pp. 1-53.
Catalogue of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1902 Nottingham Castle Museum Exhibition Catalogues
May 1902
pp. 1-52.
Catalogue of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1903 Nottingham Castle Museum Exhibition Catalogues
May 1903
pp. 1-52.
Catalogue of the Twenty-Second Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1900
May 1900
pp. 1-61.
Catalogue of the Twenty-Third Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1901
May 1901
pp. 1-62.
Eleventh Annual Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures, also Loan and Permanent Collection of Pictures, Etc., 1891
1891
pp. 1-96.
Exhibition of Pictures, in Oil and Water Colour, by Local Artists, 1890
1890
pp. 1-36.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1914
May 1914
pp. 1-52.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1921
May 1921
pp. 1-39.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1923
May 1923
pp. 1-39.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1924
May 1924
pp. 1-43.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1925
May 1925
pp. 1-45.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1937
September 1937
pp. 1-31.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1938 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1938
pp. 1-33.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1939 Nottingham Society of Artists
July 1939
pp. 1-32.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, June 1932
June 1932
Unpaged.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May 1915
May 1915
pp. 1-44.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May 1933
May 1933
Unpaged.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May and June, 1936 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1936
pp. 1-29.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1908 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1908
pp. 1-58.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1909 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1909
pp. 1-44.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1912 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1912
pp. 1-44.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1913 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1913
pp. 1-54.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1926 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1926
pp. 1-47.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1927 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1927
pp. 1-40.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1929 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1929
pp. 1-36.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1930 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1930
pp. 1-23.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1931 Nottingham Society of Artists
1931
Unpaged.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1934 Nottingham Society of Artists
June 1934
pp. 1-27.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1935 Nottingham Society of Artists
June 1935
pp. 1-27.
Exhibition of Works by the Federation of Midland Art Societies, 1936 Exhibitions
September 1936
pp. 1-20.
Exhibition of Works in Oil and Water Colour by Local Artists, 1879
1879
Unpaged.
Exhibition of Works in Oil and Water Colour by Local Artists, 1881
1881
pp. 1-71.
Fifth Annual Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures in Oil and Water Colour, and Architectural Designs, Etc., 1885
1885
pp. 1-134.
Fourteenth Annual Exhibition of Pictures, in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists, 1892
1892
pp. 1-36.
International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers Exhibition, 1906
1906
pp. 1-32.
Loan Exhibition of Works by Alphonse Legros, 1912
1912
pp. 1-22.
Minutes of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee, 1921
1 June 1921
Minutes of the meeting of the Castle Museum Committee, 18 November 1890 Nottingham Castle Museum, Castle Museum Committee Papers
18 November 1890
p. 353.
Nottingham Artists To-Day, 1949 Nottingham Society of Artists
June 1949
pp. 1-25.
Nottingham Castle Museum and Gallery: a history, 2005
pp. 1-46.
Nottingham Castle Museum and Gallery: a history, 2005
pp. 7-29.
Report of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee for the year ending 31 March 1902
8 September 1902
p. 1.
Report of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee for the year ending 31 March 1904
6 June 1904 (Probable)
Report of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee for the year ending 31 March 1908
13 July 1908 (Probable)
p. 1.
Report of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee for the year ending 31 March 1909
5 July 1909 (Probable)
p. 1.
Report of the Castle Museum and School of Art Committee for the year ending 31 March 1915
5 July 1915 (Probable)
p. 1.
Seventh Annual Exhibition of Modern Pictures in Oil and Water Colour, and Architectural Designs, &c., 1887
1887
pp. 1-90.
Sixth Annual Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures in Oil and Watercolour, and Architectural Designs, &c., 1886
1886
pp. 1-108.
The Sculptor, Sir William Reynolds-Stephens, PRBS, 1862-1943. A Biographical Note, 1944
1944
Third Annual Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures in Oil and Water Colour, and Architectural Designs, &c., 1883
1883
pp. 1-105.
Works by Local Artists, 1951
July 1951 (Probable)
Citing this record
'Castle Museum (Nottingham)', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/organization.php?id=msib4_1226940429, accessed 21 Mar 2023]
