The Barber in London: Highlights from a Remarkable Collection ★★★★ The Courtauld Gallery | May 23, 2025 - Feb 22, 2026


In 1932, the same year that The Courtauld Gallery was founded, Hattie Lady Barber created an endowment at the University of Birmingham to foster the arts. Although she herself did not have an important collection, the initial director, Thomas Bodkin, set about assembling an interesting mix of acquisitions that grew into the impressive collection that exists today. Because the permanent home for this 160 paintings is currently undergoing renovations eighteen major pieces are now on loan to The Courtauld. Fifteen works are on display in one gallery, and three others have been integrated into the Gallery's permanent collection. The works in the main room provide almost a history of western art stretching from Giovanni Bellini's "St Jerome in the Wilderness" (c. 1460) to Max Pechstein's "Still Life in Grey" (1913). Along the way are works by Frans Hals, Nicolas Poussin, Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun and James McNeill Whistler. Perhaps, the most interesting thread in the display is the different approaches to landscape painting exemplified by Peter Paul Rubens' "Landscape in Flanders" (c. 1635-1640), Claude Lorrain's "Pastoral Landscape" (1645), JMW Turner's "The Sun Setting through Vapour" (c. 1809) and Claude Monet's "The Church at Varengeville" (1882). The comparison and contrast of these four works and the consideration of their patterns of influence can be wonderfully intriguing. However, for us, perhaps the most striking work on display is Edgar Degas' "Jockeys before the Race" (1878-79). The piece stands out as a splendid example of the artist's ability to capture the moment. The bold asymmetry and almost frenetic quality of expression brilliantly reflect the energy and anticipation of the early morning racing event. Overall, this exhibition is a lovely staging of some the Barber's works, reflecting both the breadth and depth of this "remarkable collection." A visit to Birmingham is definitely in order when the present building renovations are complete!

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Image: Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851), The Sun Setting through Vapour (c. 1809), The Henry Barber Trust, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN, UK

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