The Elwells - A Partnership in Paint
Beverley Art Gallery, East Yorkshire
Beverley Art Gallery holds the country's largest collection of the works of Fred and Mary Elwell. The collection has traditionally focused on Fred Elwell, who had the chance to study in Paris in the 1890s, before becoming Beverley's iconic Edwardian artist. Mary Holmes, whom Fred married in 1914, was for long viewed as 'Fred's talented wife'. In 2018, Beverley Art Gallery acquired a portrait by Fred, depicting Mary as an artist in her own right. This acquisition enabled the reinterpretation of the Gallery's permanent display, showcasing both of the Elwells as equal partners, celebrating their shared passion for painting.
In December 2018 this display opened featuring interpretation by Tim Barringer, Professor in History of Art at Yale University (USA), highlighting Mary & Fred Elwell's role within the history of British painting.
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