-
The Brill Collection
The Brill Collection
Kingston Museum's original Brill Collection consists of a series of 74 topographical watercolour and pen and wash paintings which were commissioned by Kingston Borough Council between 1955 and 1971 to record through art, the changing landscape of the Borough.
The scheme, which had the support of Kingston Rotary Club, was the idea of Reginald Brill, head of the former Kingston School of Art and many of the paintings were by staff at the school. Commissions ceased in 1971.
The Friends of Kingston Museum successfully relaunched the scheme in 1997 with a new commission by Leo Duff entitled Kingston Bus Station by Night. The new initiative was supported financially by Kingston University, Kingston Rotary Club and other donors. Donations for further paintings have subsequently been made and new works included in the Collection by commission or competition. Please make a donation to help increase the collection.
New catalogue
The Museum Friends have now published a catalogue of the Collection. Paintings of a Changing Kingston: Kingston Museum's Brill Collection, by June Sampson and Henrietta Harris, 2004, is available from Kingston Museum, Kingston Local History Room or via the museum's online shopping facility.. Details of the artists involved in the project, many connected with the former Kingston School of Art, now Kingston University, are also included in the book. All the paintings, which are reproduced in full colour, have detailed captions. 110 pp. Price £10 . Add £2.50 for postage and packing in UK and £7.50 for overseas.
 Brill no: 62 Coombe Conduit A. Henderson Hall 1971 |
|
Paintings from the Collection are on display as part of a rolling programme in the staircase gallery at Kingston Museum. Periodically the whole Collection goes on display in Kingston Museum's art gallery. Please ask about these special exhibitions. Researchers may also see individual paintings in Kingston Local History Room by appointment.