THOMAS CHURCHYARD (1798 - 1865)

17 January - 15 March 1998
Wolsey Art Gallery

A bicentenary exhibition from Ipswich Borough Council's Museums and Galleries collection.

Christchurch Mansion contains the largest and most comprehensive collection of works by Thomas Churchyard and to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his birthday, Christchurch Mansion showed all the paintings and drawings from the Ipswich Borough Council collection.

Thomas Churchyard made thousands of sketches in East Suffolk, which include topographical views of Woodbridge and its estuary. Churchyard was a hardworking solicitor with a practice in Woodbridge who was passionate about art. He collected paintings by other East Anglian artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable and John Crome and drew continuously. Apart from the watercolours acquired by Ipswich Borough Council Museums in 1913, his work remained hidden from the public. It was bequeathed to his seven daughters, all of whom were spinsters and they left them to each other until Harriet Churchyard died in 1927. Then the huge collection was sold and avidly bought by local collectors.

Councillor Sheila Baguley, Chair of Leisure said, “I am very pleased that we have this opportunity to show this interesting group of paintings. Churchyard is one of Suffolk’s most treasured artists and I am pleased that we can commemorate him in this way”.

Hugh Belsey curated the exhibition. He said, “Churchyard’s work has a directness and charm which has always been popular with the Suffolk public. Ipswich is fortunate in having such good examples of his work.”

Churchyard’s work has a directness and charm, which has always been popular with the Suffolk public, and it is fortunate that Ipswich has such good examples of his work.

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