Night to remember as gallery’s goddess is conserved

Separating the fragile piece from its backing, James began the painstaking process of repairing a split which had occurred in the brittle paper over many years.

Drawn in astonishing detail on fragile material, the remarkable piece is one of a pair, with its companion Goddess of Day - also part of the gallery’s collection - having been generously gifted last year by Vanda Walton.

Both pieces are now proudly on display in the gallery as part of its current Portrayals of Women exhibition, which explores how women have been portrayed from the 17th century to the present day.

Bell was the nephew of Virginia Woolf, as well as a renowned ceramicist and former professor of fine art at The University of Leeds. He based both artworks on his beloved wife Anne Olivier Bell, known as Olivier, completing the captivating portraits in the early years of their marriage.

Olivier, a distinguished art expert herself, met her future husband during a study trip to Paris in 1937 where he painted her for the first time.

In 1945, she worked for the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Branch of the Control Commission for Germany, one of the so-called ‘Monuments Men’ featured in the 2014 film starring George Clooney.

She was also one of the first members of the Arts Council, a role which included escorting paintings from Munich’s Alte Pinakothek on goods trains across Germany for display at the National Gallery in London.

Both Goddess of Day and Goddess of Night hung in the couple’s Sussex home for many years until 1980, when Bell gifted both paintings to his friend and colleague Peter Walton, Vanda’s late husband.

The works, which were cherished and well cared for, remained in Peter and Vanda’s home until last year when they were generously donated to the gallery.

Kirsty Young, Leeds Art Gallery’s assistant curator of fine art, said: “Both these works by Bell have a unique and timeless beauty, even more so because of the personal story behind them and the powerful emotional connection the artist clearly had with his subject.

“Bell’s works frequently reference classical mythology and these works that have a strong architectural quality to them are a perfect reflection of this.

“In various mythologies, day and night are personified as female deities that control the cycle of light and darkness. These portrayals often highlight female power, beauty, wisdom and influence. The figures here are clearly identifiable through the symbolic items they are holding.

“The nature of works on paper means that over time, they can be subject to this kind of deterioration as the paper can become very brittle, so we’re extremely fortunate to have James’s expertise in conserving Goddess of Night in readiness for display.

“Bell painted Olivier a number of times through his career, and as well as being a companion in life, she was clearly also a huge inspiration to him artistically, so we’re looking forward to sharing their story with visitors through these stunning artworks.”

Bell’s works are part of Leeds Art Gallery’s impressive fine art collection which is designated as being of national and international importance. The collection of works on paper is one of the finest in Britain and consists of over 10,000 items dating from 1450 to the present day.

The Portrayals of Women exhibition brings together a range of artworks from Leeds Art Gallery’s nationally renowned works on paper collection. It features a selection of works including historic pieces by Ottavio Leoni and Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, to recent acquisitions by contemporary artists Skye Davies and SHARP

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “The opportunity to learn about and be inspired by stunning artworks like this is exactly why our gallery and its incredible collection are so important to life and culture in Leeds.

“Preserving and conserving these works means that future generations will also be able to learn about them and their fascinating stories for many years to come.”

Jane Bhoyroo, principal keeper at Leeds Art Gallery added:  “We are very grateful for this recent gift which enables us to continue to grow the city’s outstanding collection. We look forward to sharing this remarkable work with our audiences”.

For more details about Leeds Art Gallery’s Portrayals of Women exhibition, please visit: Portrayals of Women | Leeds Museums and Galleries | Days out and exhibitions

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