The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum reopened in 2008 following a £20 million refurbishment with a striking modern facility adjacent to Coventry cathedral and University. The Herbert has extensive and wide ranging collections which are grouped under four broad headings: Visual Arts, Social and Industrial History, Archaeology, Natural History, with a mission to bring history and arts to life for the people of Coventry.
The plant in Coventry employed 4,720 people by 1925, many of them women. By 1938 11,500 people were employed by Courtaulds in the Midlands area, with Coventry remaining its largest single plant anywhere in the UK. Courtaulds Ltd had a profound and enduring impact on the economic and social history of Coventry.
We have collaborated with the Herbert under the Courtauld National Programme since 2016 when a special exhibition presented works by Degas from The Courtauld’s collection. Since then, we have displayed Cézanne’s Montagne Sainte-Victoire with Large Pine in Coventry for the first time in 2018 and the following year, we worked with volunteers to collect the stories of former employees of Courtauld Ltd. The volunteers’ film was shown as part of the exhibition Radical Drawing: Works from Coventry and the Courtauld.
Take a closer look
Cézanne’s Montagne Sainte-Victoire
Find out more about our 2018 display of this masterpiece from The Courtauld’s collection.
Take a look at this exhibition which brought together works from Coventry and The Courtauld to explore the potential of drawing.
Watch the film made by volunteers exploring the history of Courtaulds Ltd in Coventry.
Get Involved
You can find out more about the Herbert and the project in Coventry by visiting their website or getting in touch:
W: https://www.theherbert.org/
T: 024 7623 752
E: info@culturecoventry.com
