Graves Gallery Sheffield: New exhibition tells story of friendship that brought star painting to city

By Julia Armstrong

Published 24th Mar 2022, 13:08 BST

Updated 24th Mar 2022, 13:08 BST

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A new exhibition looking at the art of friendship is about to open at the Graves Gallery in Sheffield city centre.

The exhibition celebrating the friendship which brought one of the star paintings to the city’s art collection will open at the Graves Gallery on Thursday, March 31. Entry is free.

Framed in Friendship: A Legacy of Art in Sheffield is on the top floor of the Central Library on Surrey Street.

Husband and wife artists Stephen Bone and Mary Adshead were great friends of George and Babbie Blomfield, who lived in Sheffield.

Mary Adshead, Self Portrait, 1931 © Estate of Mary Adshead. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2022. This painting features in a new exhibition, Framed in Friendship, at the Graves Gallery in Sheffield

Mary Adshead, Self Portrait, 1931 © Estate of Mary Adshead. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2022. This painting features in a new exhibition, Framed in Friendship, at the Graves Gallery in Sheffield

This friendship led to world-famous artist Stanley Spencer’s remarkable Zacharias and Elizabeth painting being co-owned by the city.

When Mary sold the painting, it was on the condition that it could be enjoyed by the people of Sheffield.

Framed in Friendship tells their story and shows how other relationships and links with Sheffield have brought valuable contributions to the city’s art collection.

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Zacharias and Elizabeth by Stanley Spencer, 1913-14. © Estate of Sir Stanley Spencer Bridgeman Images. This painting features in a new exhibition, Framed in Friendship, at the Graves Gallery in Sheffield

Zacharias and Elizabeth by Stanley Spencer, 1913-14. © Estate of Sir Stanley Spencer Bridgeman Images. This painting features in a new exhibition, Framed in Friendship, at the Graves Gallery in Sheffield

The exhibition includes a 1931 self-portrait of Mary Adshead, drawings, paintings and letters by Stephen, Mary and Babbie plus works by Henry Tonks, Sir William Rothenstein and his granddaughter Anne Rothenstein.

Zacharias and Elizabeth was painted in 1913, when Spencer was just 22 years old and had recently graduated from the Slade School of Art.

It depicts the biblical story of the two figures, featured in Luke’s Gospel.

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Donald Rodney, Britannia Hospital 2, 1988 © Estate of Donald Rodney. This painting is part of new displays at the Graves Gallery, Sheffield, which are being unveiled at the same time as new exhibition, Framed in Friendship

Donald Rodney, Britannia Hospital 2, 1988 © Estate of Donald Rodney. This painting is part of new displays at the Graves Gallery, Sheffield, which are being unveiled at the same time as new exhibition, Framed in Friendship

Another painting on show is Old Buildings, Pye Bank, Sheffield, 1931, painted by Stanley Royle, who spent much of his life in the city.

Visitors can also see two major collection redisplays which feature new additions to the gallery alongside several returning visitor favourites.

Gallery 4 spotlights how artists have experimented with colour and form, including works by Avinash Chandra, Naum Gabo, John Hoyland, Tess Jaray and Bridget Riley.

Gallery 5 looks at how ideas around identity have been explored by artists including Isaac Julien, Hew Locke, Grayson Perry, Marlene Smith and Sam Taylor-Johnson.

Visitors can dig deeper into the city’s art collection with Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app created by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Download it from Google Play or the App Store.

Gallery website: www.museums-sheffield.org.uk

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