Scala Art Publishers

The current home of the Holburne Museum, Bath, used to be the Vauxhall Hotel, Bath, and Jane Austen used to live opposite the building.

It's one of those Museums that exist because a private collector left his huge stack of expensive art to the local community. There's one in Fredericton, New Brunswick (Lord Beaverbrook, of WWII fame) and another in Manhatten (can't remember who) and probably many I've never heard of. This one, you will be unsurprised to learn, was donated by Holburne. It's an eclectic collection strong on decorative arts but also having examples of works by many a major painter associated at one time or another, with the city of Bath, for example, Gainsborough. Portraiture is a particular strength because all the posh locals wanted their families' pictures on their walls. It's not very big; one can look round the whole place thoroughly in less than a couple of hours. The controversial new extension allows many more objects to be displayed and more room for temporary traveling exhibitions - and there's a nice tea shop looking out on to Sydney Gardens, now, too.

This book is a typical highlights of the collection catalogue with good reproductions and informative notes about the various and diverse objects pictured. The Introduction provides a much more comprehensive overview of the history of the Museum (which hasn't always been at this location) than I have. All in all, it's an excellent memento of a delightful attraction in a delightful locale, facing one of the most impressive streets in the architecturally spectacular city of Bath.… (meer)