100 years of major acquisitions

1 Dec 2010 02:22 PM

100 years of major acquisitions

In the centenary year of the Acceptance in Lieu (AIL) scheme, thirty three items worth £15.7m have been saved for the nation, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) announced today in its annual report.

Since being created by an Act of Parliament in 1910, the AIL scheme has brought land, historically important buildings and pre-eminent works of art and archives into public ownership for the enjoyment and inspiration of all. The scheme allows those liable to Inheritance Tax to pay their tax bill by offering important heritage land, buildings and objects to the nation. 

This year marks the scheme's centenary, and saw the transfer into public ownership of the great Vanbrugh house of Seaton Delaval, one of the finest Baroque houses of the 18th century - now in the custody of the National Trust.  This includes over 80 acres of the surrounding gardens, park and land and the principal contents, totalling almost 200 items of furniture, sculpture, paintings and ceramics, which must rank as one of the most important acquisitions of the last few decades.

Other highlights include a collection of some of the finest photographs of the 20th century, a bronze Degas statue and medals of a Battle of Britain pilot - all benefitting museums and galleries across the UK.

Seaton Delaval is just the latest in a long line of houses and their contents which have been given to the Trust through the AIL scheme. The list of previous transfers includes Cotehele (1947), Penrhyn Castle (1952), Mount Grace Priory (1953), Castle Ward (1953), Petworth (1954), Ickworth (1956), Saltram (1957), Hardwick (1959), Brodick Castle (National Trust for Scotland, 1959), Shugburgh Hall (1965), Cragside (1977) and Calke Abbey (1985).

Some of the great acquisitions from the past 100 years have included Clive's Elephant armour, the largest set of animal armour in the world, accepted in 1963 and now residing at the Royal Armouries. The Ormonde family silver consisting of hundreds of silver and silver gilt pieces from the 17th to the 19th century was accepted in lieu in 1980 and is allocated to various collections across the UK. Great masterpiece paintings like Constable's Stratford Mill, Picasso's Weeping Woman, El Greco's Fabula, Van Dyck's Portrait of Abbé Scaglia and Titian's Venus Anadyomene have all been saved for the nation over the last 100 years.

A trend towards more contemporary acquisitions continues with works by three living artists accepted in 2008/2009. Two outstanding collections of 20th-century art of particular significance were acquired in 2009/10. The collection of 50 photographs by a roll-call of the greatest names in 20th century photography – Bill Brandt, Irving Penn; Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Mapplethorpe, Dorothea Lange and Edward Weston – document the century during which AIL has been in existence. 

The era in which the AIL scheme came into creation is evoked in the nine early 20th-century paintings by Walter Sickert, Harold Gilman, Charles Ginner and Spencer Gore as well as two later works by Mark Gertler.  Sculptures by Henry Moore and Bernard Meadows and paintings by Graham Sutherland and Euan Uglow take forward the history of British art of the century into the 50s and 60s.

Distinguished archives have been acquired including the papers of several Prime Ministers, the Duke of Portland, the Duke of Newcastle and the Marquess of Rockingham from the 18th century, and Lord Addington and the Earl of Derby from the 19th century and archives of the Duke of Marlborough from Blenheim and the Duke of Wellington's papers – all acquired in 2009/10.

Minister for Culture, Ed Vaizey, welcomed the report and said:

"The AIL Scheme is an outstanding example of private philanthropy in the cultural sector and has been responsible for ensuring that beautiful works of art and precious items remain in this country for the benefit of future generations.  It is outstandingly well run, and we should all be very grateful for the huge amount of time and expertise that is given by so many eminent scholars to make it as effective as it is."

Sir Andrew Motion, Chair of MLA, said:

"In the last decade during which MLA has managed the AIL scheme over 300 individual offers in lieu, valued at over £235m, have been transferred to museums and archives across the UK and it has proved to be an outstandingly successful investment for the nation. Now there can be few, if any, major public collections which have not been enriched by the scheme. We are very grateful to the AIL Panel and its chair Jonathan Scott for volunteering their time and their commitment, dedication and judgement which has ensured that the scheme has prospered and strengthened the cultural sector."

MLA also announced today that Tim Knox has been appointed to succeed Jonathan Scott who is retiring after 10 years as Chairman of the AIL Panel from 1 January. Tim has been Director of the Sir John Soane's Museum since 2005.  He was previously Assistant Curator at the Royal Institute of British Architects Drawing Collection before joining the National Trust in 1995, where he was successively Architectural Historian and Head Curator.  He was a member of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art from 2002 until earlier this year. 

Simon Swynfen Jervis, Chairman of the Trustees of Sir John Soane's Museum, said:

"The Museum is delighted that Tim Knox, its Director, will be taking on this vital role and thus helping to secure the national heritage of which it forms a signal component."

Notes to Editor