Information
The Box is Plymouth’s museum, art gallery and archive since its opening in 2020, transforming Plymouth’s former Museum and Art Gallery, Central Library and St Luke’s church buildings with a series of new galleries, exhibition spaces, research and learning facilities.
The fine art collection at The Box is an important and substantial collection of some 800 paintings covering a wide variety of national and international schools and periods. There are a number of Dutch and Flemish artists represented with strengths in maritime views and portraits. Of these oldest is a portrait of Catherine von Lowe in the style of Maerten van Heemskerck. There are works by Hieronymus Custodis, Willem van de Velde the Younger, Hendrick Danckerts, Petrus Cornelis Weyts, Jan van Os, Jan Weenix and portraits after Marcus Gheeraerts.
Besides, there are about 1,300 drawings and 1,500 watercolours in the collection that include Dutch and Flemish artists, such as Jan van Goyen. The decorative art collection contains several examples of Brussels lace and Delft pottery including tiles and plates. Within the archaeology collection are a number of finds associated with Holland and the Netherlands.
The Cottonian Collection is a discreet collection within The Box. It was given as a whole to the people of Plymouth in 1853 after a number of collectors built upon the significant art collection beginning in the 1690s. There are various Dutch and Flemish artists represented, including paintings by Jacob van Artois, Gaspar Netscher, Salomon van Ruysdael and William van de Velde the Younger. Among the drawings collection are works by Peter Paul Reubens, Jan Siberechts, Jan van Goyen, Gaspar van Wittel to name a few of the Dutch and Netherlandish artists. There are several designs for monuments and one sculpture by John Michael Rysbrack. Among the print volumes are ones dedicated to the Flemish and Dutch schools with engravings by Vanmerlen, after works by Pieter Bout and Van der Neer. Among the furniture in the Cottonian Collection is a significant collectors cabinet possibly made in Antwerp in the 1670s.
Terah Walkup, Curator (September 2024)