The Barber Institute of Fine Arts - Richard Verdi

The splendid collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, objets d'art and coins at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham, UK, make it one of the finest small picture galleries in the world. Founded in 1932 by Hattie, Lady Barber, 'for the study and encouragement of art and music', the proviso was to purchase works of art 'of that standard and quality required by the National Gallery and the Wallace Collection'. The result is the most representative collection of Western art assembled in Britain in the 20th century, with works dating from antiquity to the 1980s. These include masterpieces by many of the greatest names in the history of art, including all the major Impressionist painters. Fully revised and updated, this book presents a selection of the finest works in the collection, all illustrated in full colour.