As galleries auction off treasures to retain staff and plug cash gaps left by Covid, the art world is divided on ethics of disposal
Going up close to a great work of art, perhaps to Auguste Rodin’s full-height sculpture of a shy Eve, is a rare pleasure in a neighbourhood gallery, especially since opening hours are now restricted by the pandemic. The Southampton City Art Gallery is one of those municipal buildings with perhaps more than its fair share of unexpected treats due to the bequest of a local chemist and businessman called Robert Chipperfield. He died rich in 1911, instructing his legacy to be spent on filling up a new gallery with top-notch pieces like Eve.
Just over a decade ago the city considered selling valuable works including its Rodin sculpture, then worth just over £1million, to fund other projects, but the sale was stopped by a petition and a stern warning from the Tate, which had an advisory role.
Continue reading...