Art Conservation and Scholarships

Woodmansterne Art Conservation Awards 2019/20

Previous Award recipient.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Detail: A Mother and Child
by Nicholas Eliasz (1590-1664)

Having been involved in the reproduction of fine art for many years, Woodmansterne Publications has always been keen to understand how original works of art in public galleries should be preserved for future generations to enjoy. There is a complete absence of government support or any UK funding in this area and for this reason, the Woodmansterne Art Conservation Awards were set up to support the conservation of pre-twentieth-century oil paintings.

Since the launch of the awards in 1995, over 90 paintings have been conserved through the Woodmansterne Art Conservation Awards at a total value of approximately £400,000. As well as the Art Conservation Awards, Woodmansterne Publications have also established a scholarship programme, sponsoring a number of postgraduate students in their final year of art conservation studies. These are initiated by Paul Woodmansterne in close consultation with senior conservators.

Now in its 66th year of business, in 2019, Woodmansterne invited all museums, galleries and country houses (in the UK and open to the public) to apply for grants to conserve pre-twentieth-century easel paintings in oils. We are pleased to announce that the following institutions were successful:-

• The Wallace Collection, London. Award £4,020
  Venice: a regatta on the Grand Canal (c. 1741-1760) attributed to the studio of Canaletto (1697-1768)
• Ancient House Museum, Thetford, Norfolk. Award £1710
  Portrait of Cornell Fison (1880) by J Whiting (19th century)
• Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham. Award £2,563
  Portrait of George Dawson (exhibited 1853) by John Prescott Knight (1803-1881)
• Kirkcaldy Galleries, Kirkcaldy, Scotland. Award £4,900
  Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist (c. 1520s) attributed to a pupil of Domenico Puligo
• The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. Award £5000
  Flowers, insects and reptiles (1673) by Otto Marseus van Schrieck (c. 1619-1678)
• The Ferens Art Gallery, Hull. Award £4,573
  The Night School (1892) by Edgar Bundy (1862-1922)
• Hospitalfield House, Arbroath, Scotland. Award £2,310
  Red Squirrel with Flowers (1680) by Francis Place (1647-1728)
• Clifton Park Museum, Rotherham Award. £2,635
  Woman with Samovar (c. 1890) by Ernest Moore (1865-1940)

We plan to launch the Woodmansterne Art Conservation Awards for 2021/2022 in Autumn 2021. If you would like to add your details to our database, please email Alison Gauntlett at [email protected]. We will then be in touch once the dates are confirmed.

Previous recipients of a Woodmansterne Art Conservation Award include:

• The National Portrait Gallery
• Museum of the History of Science, University of Oxford
• The Bishop's Palace, Wells
• Perth Museum and Art Gallery

As well as the Woodmansterne Art Conservation Awards, we established a scholarship programme, sponsoring a number of postgraduate students in their final year of art conservation studies.