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THE FACES BEHIND THE NAME
A Look at the Lives of Sir Henry and Lady Barber
Wednesday 8 February, 1.10 - 2pm
The Barber Lecture Theatre
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts
University of Birmingham
Admission FREE
Discover more about the lives of the founders of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in an illuminating illustrated talk, which will shed new light on their personalities, relationships and artistic tastes.
The Barber Institute’s 80th anniversary celebrations begin in December this year. In preparation, Jesse Campbell, Research Intern at the Barber and Masters student from the University of Utrecht, has spent a fascinating six months exploring the foundation of the University of Birmingham-based institution. Her search for source material has taken her as far afield as Belgium, where she read through 60 letters Lady Barber wrote to artist Nestor Cambier – amongst some 500 documents she examined in Brussels. The Belgian is thought to have painted Lady Barber over 25 times, with 18 of these portraits in the Barber collection, and due to be highlighted in an exhibition about her life in the gallery at the end of this year.
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts owes its existence to the vision of Dame Martha Constance Hattie Barber and her husband, Sir William ‘Henry’ Barber. After Henry’s death in 1927, Lady Barber founded the Barber in his memory. It was bequeathed to the University of Birmingham ‘for the study and encouragement of art and music’. Lady Barber's inheritance was also dedicated to the Barber and was used to expand the collection and fund the construction of a new building. The Grade II listed building of art deco architecture, designed by Robert Atkinson and opened in 1939 by Queen Mary, continues to house the institute today.
This Lunchtime Lecture will appeal to fans of fine art and music, social historians and anyone interested in the history of the University of Birmingham and the city it is part of.
See other Lunchtime Lectures