Collections

See a treat around every corner!

The fine art collection at the Cooper Gallery includes works by British and European artists from the 17th to 21st centuries. Vibrant paintings by Vanessa Bell and Prunella Clough are accompanied by the beautiful drawings of John Ruskin, JMW Turner and Thomas Girtin. Expansive landscapes and seascapes contrast with portraits of royalty and views of people working the land.

We are very proud to share excellent works by several Barnsley artists in the collection, from Victorians Abel Hold and Madeline Moore to more recent works by Malcolm Whittaker and John Kenneth Long.

We’ve chosen a selection of themes and artworks below for you to enjoy. Please visit our website to see more of our collections.

Picturing People

Picturing People

Portraits come in all types of media and are created for different reasons ...

By Sea and River

By Sea and River

The majority of marine and river views in the collection came as part of the original Cooper bequest in 1913.

All Kinds of Conversations

All Kinds of Conversations

Interactions between people form some of the most interesting paintings and drawings in the collection.

Palaces to Bridges

Palaces to Bridges

Architectural painting developed into an artform in Western art in the 16th century.

Drawing and Sketching

Drawing and Sketching

In the 1920s and 1930s, the Cooper Gallery received several gifts of drawings and paintings from the collector Sir Michael Ernest Sadler.

Art Unlocked: The Cooper Gallery

Art Unlocked is an online talk series brought to you by Art UK in collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies. In this talk, you will hear from Natalie Murray, Collections and Exhibitions Manager and discover how the individual tastes and motivations of Barnsley’s collectors have created distinct and remarkable groups of artworks within the collection.

View of the Riverviews and seascapes gallery

The Barnsley Museums Blogsite

We regularly update our blogsite with new articles