The Barber Institute of Fine Arts can be found close to the East Gate of The University of Birmingham in Edgbaston.
'One of the UK's finest small European art collections, featuring key works from the 13th to the 20th century.
Designed by Robert Atkinson, the Grade II listed Art Deco building was the first purpose-built space for the study of art history in the UK. Opened in 1939 by Queen Mary, Barber was described by historian Sir John Summerson as representing 'better than almost any other building (except, perhaps the RIBA in Portland Place) the spirit of English architecture in the 1930s'.
Permanent collection
On display are masterpieces by Botticelli, Bellini, Degas, Gainsborough, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Magritte, Manet, Monet, Poussin, Rossetti, Rubens and Turner. There are also sculptures by Roubiliac, Degas and Rodin, a fine selection of works on paper, and one of Europe's most important collections of Roman, Byzantine and medieval coins. The collection is complemented by a changing programme of temporary exhibitions.'
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The visitbirmingham.com website describes the Barber Institute of Fine Arts as follows: 'Monet, Manet and Magritte; Renoir, Rubens, Rossetti and Rodin; Degas, Delacroix and Van Dyck – as well as Botticelli, Poussin, Turner, Gainsborough, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Bellows, Hodgkin and Auerbach…
You can see key works by all these- and many more- great artists in the galleries at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts for free. There’s also a stunning coin gallery and an exciting programme of exhibitions, concerts, lectures, gallery talks, workshops and family activities.
The Barber was founded in 1932 by Dame Martha Constance Hattie Barber in memory of her husband, Sir William Henry Barber. Housed in a Grade II listed Art Deco building designed by Robert Atkinson, it was officially opened by Queen Mary in 1939.
Featuring many of the greatest names in Western art, the Barber holds one of the most outstanding and internationally significant collections assembled in Britain during the 20th Century.
As well as around 150 major paintings and some stunning pastels and watercolours, the Barber is also home to more than 800 drawings and prints, a fine collection of sculpture – including works by Degas and Roubiliac – decorative art and portrait miniatures. In addition, the Barber also has one of the finest collections of Roman, Byzantine and Medieval coins in the world.
A haven of tranquillity in a bustling metropolis, the Barber Institute is a must for anyone visiting Birmingham and the West Midlands.
No wonder that it has been described as ‘one of the finest small art galleries in Europe’.'
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'The Barber Institute of Fine Arts is housed in one of Birmingham's finest Art Deco buildings.' (
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The building is a Grade II Listed Building* designed by Robert Atkinson and built between 1935 and 1939.
The Barber Institute building is of a 'Sophisticated design marrying elements of traditional institutional classicism and Dudok inspired stone dressed brick modern. A2 storey compact block with shallow full height portal wing to the right of front. Ashlar faced ground floor and blind lst floor of brick with flat coped roofline. The horizontal emphasis of the strip fenestration on the ground floor is suavely combined with the vertical accent of the slightly battered portal. The latter is complemented in small scale by ashlar panels carved with symbols of the Arts on the first floor and reflected by the visual stop of the larger panel as the end of return east elevation. The banding and strip fenestration of the front follows round on to the side and rear elevations giving crisp linear definition to the design.' (
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'William Marinus Dudok (6 July 1884 - 6 April 1974) was a Dutch modernist architect. He was born in Amsterdam. He became City Architect for the town of Hilversum in 1928 where he was best known for the brick Hilversum Town Hall completed in 1931.' (
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'Ashlar' is described by Nikolaus Pevsner's Architectural Glossary as 'Masonry of large blocks worked to even faces and square edges.' Source: 'Pevsner's Architectural Glossary' by Nikolaus Pevsner (ISBN:978-0-300-22368-2
*This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1930 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
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