FREE WORKSHOPS: The De Morgan Eagle has landed at Cannon Hall Museum

A RARE three-handled Eagle Vase by famed potter William De Morgan has been acquired by the De Morgan Collection at Cannon Hall in Barnsley.
Rare three-handled Eagle Vase by famed potter William De MorganRare three-handled Eagle Vase by famed potter William De Morgan
Rare three-handled Eagle Vase by famed potter William De Morgan

And to celebrate its new home a series of free online Easter workshops, poems, and craft sessions re planned, created by artist Rob Young - from making shadow puppets to taking part in a film writing worksop.

FREE WORKSHOPS: Make an Eagle Vase shadow puppet visit www.demorgan.org.uk/eastereagle and to sign up for the Film Writing workshop on Wednesday, April 7, at 2pm to 3pm (BST) visit www.eventbrite.co.uk.

3D VIRTUAL TOUR: Take an amazing free 360 degree virtual stroll around the De Morgan collection at Cannon Hall Museum - CLICK HERE.

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MORE: For more information about the Easter Holidays events featuring the De Morgan Collection in Barnsley - March 29 to April 11 - visit the De Morgan website at www.demorgan.org.uk, follow the foundation on Twitter @DeMorganF, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/demorganfoundation and use the hashtag #EasterEagle.

The three-handled Eagle Vase was given by Derbyshire County Council in a project funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund and the Museums Association.

When Cannon Hall reopens in May, visitors will be taken around the display by Lego versions of the Cannon Hall team and scan QR codes to hear their favourite De Morgan piece and think about choosing their own.

Derbyshire County Council had previous used the art work as part of their Museums Loans Service collection, which toured artwork to schools in a community learning programme. When this service closed last year, the objects were moved to Buxton Museum and Art Gallery to be stored.

Buxton Museum and Art Gallery then successfully applied to the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, administered by the Museums Association, for a grant to fund a project to source appropriate homes for the pieces, with the main aim of keeping them in the public domain and on public display where at all possible.

The 18-month project is being seen as a test case by the Museums Association (MA), and if successful it could be held up as a model of best practice in adhering to its code of ethics around dispersal of objects.

Coun Barry Lewis, Derbyshire County Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Culture and Tourism Councillor, said: “I’m delighted that the first step in this innovative project is to hand over the De Morgan vase, to what feels like its rightful home, where it will take its place in the De Morgan ancestral home as an important part of their exhibition.

Eagle designEagle design
Eagle design

Sarah Hardy, De Morgan Manager, said "working with Rob and Buxton Museum has been so much fun. I never thought I'd be immortalised in Lego, or turning a 19th century vase into a feathered shadow puppet, but it's been a weird old year hasn't it!

"I hope everyone enjoys a different way of engaging with our collections this Easter"

Cannon Hall Museum, one of five free entry museums operated by Barnsley Museums and supported by Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust - make a donation here - was once the family home of Evelyn De Morgan’s ancestors .

The now museum and art gallery is regarded as a perfect setting for the De Morgan exhibition, A Family of Artists, featuring prominent works by famed late Victorian. husband and wife artists William and Evelyn De Morgan.

Lego version of De Morgan Foundation exert Sarah Hardy will help visitors to navigate the exhibition using QR codesLego version of De Morgan Foundation exert Sarah Hardy will help visitors to navigate the exhibition using QR codes
Lego version of De Morgan Foundation exert Sarah Hardy will help visitors to navigate the exhibition using QR codes

Around 60 paintings, drawings and ceramics from the De Morgan Collection are on display also including work by Evelyn De Morgan's uncle and Cawthorne local, John Roddam Spencer Stanhope - it explores their continued artistic influence on each other’s lives and careers.

The Foundation displays its Collection at three partner museums, Cannon Hall, Barnsley, Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village, Surrey, and Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton, as well as touring the country through its temporary exhibition programme.

The collection was formed by Evelyn’s younger sister, Wilhelmina Stirling, in 1967. Today, the De Morgan Collection is owned and cared for by the De Morgan Foundation, an independent charity.

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In includes more than 700 ceramics by William De Morgan, including 50 tile panels and 420 individual tiles, and 260 plates, chargers, vases, bottles, and bowls.=

LINKS:

De Morgan Foundation website www.demorgan.org.uk

Twitter @DeMorganF