A gallery containing a fine collection of European and British paintings
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Highlights
British Paintings
European Paintings
William Etty Statue
York Gallery
If you walk through York Art Gallery's imposing stone arches, you'll find one of the best collections of European masterpieces in the north of the country. The paintings here span over six centuries, from medieval Britain, all the way to the 1900s. It is also known for its large collection of pots and ceramics, which includes work by Pablo Picasso.
The Guardroom, 1601 - 1673, showing off-duty soldiers enjoying a game of cards.
Hua De Tu An by Felicity Aylieff - a huge pot
Did You Know?
On the first floor, you will find a collection of drawings and paintings of York seen through through the ages.
Pictures of Victorian York
The star attraction here is the work of William Etty, whose statue has been watching over the entrance for nearly a hundred years. York was actually his home town, which makes it appropriate that the Art Gallery here has the largest collection of his work in the world, including 78 paintings and 1000 sketches. Etty began his career in the early 19th century with chalk doodles on the floor, but eventually progressed into one of the most famous artists in the country. He created many portraits and landscapes, but it was for his other work which he became known - Etty was the first British master of painting people in the nude, a fact which got him branded by the press as indecent. Despite this, he became rich and popular in his own lifetime, and was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
William Etty Statue standing outside the museum
Visitor Information
York Art Gallery is open daily 10am to 5pm. Entrance is FREE. Tel: 01904 687687
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