Artwork of the Month talks are held regularly at the Gallery and speakers are encouraged to submit articles or notes based on their talks for publication here. Most of the talks listed below, however, were produced in the days of the Covid pandemic when in-person talks were not possible.
An Ancient Stronghold in France by Wynford Dewhurst
Artwork of the Month August 2024 An Ancient Stronghold in France by Wynford Dewhurst Caitlin Doley, Associate Collections Curator at York Art Gallery, writes about a painting by Wynford Dewhurst, ‘Manchester’s Monet’, which was included in the exhibition ‘National...
The Derbyshire Gift
Artwork of the Month July 2024 The Derbyshire Gift Peter Gibbard, former Chair of the Friends, continues his occasional accounts of women artists represented in York Art Gallery’s permanent collection. ‘The Derbyshire Gift’ pertains to five paintings by 20th century...
Winter Sea by Paul Nash
Artwork of the Month June 2024 Winter Sea by Paul Nash Danae Reaves-Bey Browne, MA scholar part-sponsored by the Friends, chose this painting as the subject of her talk at the Gallery. Here are the notes from her talk.
In the Tropics by Patricia Ramsay
Artwork of the Month October 2023 Click on the button below to access the article about Patricia Ramsay's painting, In the Tropics, by Peter Gibbard, formerley Chair of the Friends.
The Flagellation of Saint Barbara by Hans Siebenbürger
Artwork of the Month July 2023 The Flagellation of Saint Barbara by Hans Siebenbürger Click on the button below to read the article by John Roe, Secretary of the Friends, in which he explores the origins and imagery of this fifteenth-century oil-on-wood painting, a...
Still-life by Melendez
Artwork of the Month April 2023 Still-life with Lemons and Nuts by Luis Egidio Meléndez Click on the button below to access the article by Dorothy Nott, former Chair of the Friends, on this painting, a gem of the Gallery's collection. The artist, Meléndez, is...
Captain Foote by Joshua Reynolds
Artwork of the Month August 2022 Portrait of Captain John Foote, (1761-5) by Joshua Reynolds (1723-92) Summary of the talk given to Friends of York Art Gallery on 10 August 2022 by Moira Fulton, who is currently Events-Co-ordinator for the Friends. Joshua Reynolds...
William Etty
Artwork of the Month June 2022 - William Etty (1787-1849), Male Nude with Arms Up-Stretched In this essay Dorothy Nott explores the controversial nature of William Etty’s nudes, both male and female, and how they may have been seen in his lifetime and how they can be...
The Birdcage by Barbara SM Smith
Artwork of the Month April 2022 Peter Gibbard, formerly Chair of the Friends, writes about a little-known woman artist, an example of whose work is included in the exhibition Beyond Bloomsbury: Life, Love & Legacy held in York Art Gallery in 2022. The Life...
The Groves Quartet
Artwork of the Month for September 2021 has been chosen by Peter Gibbard, former Chair of the Friends. The painting, dated 1854, is by a little-known artist, Ann Beaumont, the earliest woman artist to feature in the Gallery's collection. The painting depicts the...