|
|
|
| The Collection > Introduction |
 |
| |
| The Cottonian Collection |
| |
Contained within the art collections of the Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery is the Cottonian Collection. Formed during the 18th century and gifted '... for the purposes of amusement and instruction by the inhabitants of the Towns of Plymouth,
Stonehouse and Devonport and their vicinity... ' in 1852, it finally opened as a public Collection the following year. It was later transferred to the Plymouth Corporation in 1915/6 by an Act of Parliament and is now on permanent display in one of the upper floor galleries.
The Cottonian Collection consists of a small number of oil paintings, bronzes, plasters and other sculpture, some three hundred or so Old Master and English Drawings, some watercolours, a few items of furniture and ceramics, a library of around two thousand volumes, some Reynolds related material and a fine collection of around seven thousand or so prints.
Of national and international importance the collection as it exists today emerged through two hundred years of collecting, from the mid 17th century to the mid 19th century. The earliest part of the collection, the core of the library, was formed by Robert Townson (1640-1707) who bequeathed it to his son William. He added some prints and drawings, as well as more books, before leaving it to his friend and prot�g� Charles Rogers (1711-1784). Rogers built on this modest assemblage over the main decades of the 18th century, between the 1730s and 80s. During these years his wealth, social contacts and interest in the Pursuit allowed him to amass a quite remarkable collection reflecting his interests, taste and patronage.
Rogers' great passion was prints and drawings, and coupled with his knowledge, discerning eye and acquaintance with many of the leading artists, printmakers and dealers of his day allowed him to collect works of high quality. His connoisseurship gained him considerable standing amongst his contemporaries, his collection duly recognised as one of the finest in England. On his death the collection passed through three generations of the Cotton family. The first William Cotton left the collection largely unchanged, but the second, Rogers nephew, depleted the collection by around two thirds. The final William Cotton, of Ivybridge added to the collection some books and the other Reynolds portraits and material before gifting it to Plymouth. |
| |
|
|
