Three reasons to visit the Pallant Gallery in Chichester.
First, the gallery’s permanent collection of 20th and 21st century British art and some sculpture is remarkable. Collectors have chosen the Pallant to bequeath their art probably because it is hung on the walls and not left in storage. In no particular order, you see work by Duncan Grant, Walter Sickert, Ivon Hitchens, Mary Fedden, Paul Nash, John Minton, David Bomberg, Christopher Wood, Ben Nicholson, John Piper, Frank Auerbach, Barbara Hepworth et al. It’s a tasty hors d’oeuvre.
Second, for the main course, on the menu until 23rd October. If you know Glyn Philpot (1894 – 1937) give yourself a pat on the back as the last exhibition of his work was a retrospective at The National Portrait Gallery in 1984. Philpot was renowned as a society portrait painter, commanding some £3,000 in the 1920s, no small beer. He might have stuck to this genre as many did; Munnings and Sargent for instance.
However, his earnings gave him the freedom to paint what he wanted in the way he wanted. He often took inspiration from Renaissance artists like Holbein, Botticelli, Raphael, Bronzino etcetera. Henry Thomas (above) sat to him often.
This is modern but strongly evokes Michelangelo, for instance. There are pictures of acrobats resting back stage, a street accident, and many portraits; a great variety of subjects in many styles. His weak points are his pictures of flowers and I got the impression he felt more at home painting the male form. He never married.
Third, you may be surprised, is not the restaurant although it is excellent. Before you put the nose bag on go to the shop. It is not the usual museum shop. It is an independent bookshop with a broad collection of art books and more, usually collectors’ items, a lovely surprise at the end of a thoroughly satisfactory visit.
