File: Whitworth Art Gallery

Scope and Content

The Whitworth Art Gallery was taken over by the University in 1957. The file includes correspondence and papers relating to the early days of University control, and the creation of the post of Director of the Gallery, held jointly with the chair of history of art (the directors of the gallery in the period covered by this file were John White (1924-2021) and Reginald Dodwell (1924-1994)).

The Gallery was overseen by a University committee, and there is correspondence relating to appointments to this body. Other subjects covered include: acquisitions (including Henry Moore's "two-piece sculpture" 1961, a painting by L.S. Lowry in 1974, and the Cozens notebooks), appeals for funds, thefts of art from the Gallery in 1971 and 1976, gallery refurbishments and extensions, and a planned Lowry gallery at the Whitworth, (proposed by the art dealer Andras Kahn) .

Former reference: 217

Related Material

See VCA/7/311 for the transfer of the Gallery to the University in 1957.

The Library also has custody of the Gallery's archive WAG.