On our first visit to the Whitworth Art Gallery we spent most of our time discussing the possibilities of a major art heist. We stared a Van Gogh hung loosely on the wall, and then at the nearby door that was open to the outside world. The criminal sides of our brains went into overdrive. Only a bespectacled attendant separated us from a life in the Bahamas.
Common sense prevailed and the plan was hastily abandoned. A few weeks later we weren’t surprised to read that the Van Gogh, together with a Picasso and Gauguin had been stolen from the gallery. They were subsequently found abandoned in a public toilet, together with a note stating ‘The intention was not to steal. Only to highlight the woeful security.’ Needless to say, security has now been improved.
In addition the masters noted above, the gallery features work by Rembrandt, Hogarth, David Hockney and Henry Moore. It also boasts the largest collection of textiles and wallpapers outside London.
The Whitworth Art Gallery is part of the University of Manchester and is situated on Oxford Road.
Sounds worth a visit. Some people go to crazy lengths to make a point noticed and believed – in a truly arty way:-)
The gallery is named after Sir Joseph Whitworth (1803-87). He was a engineer from Stockport who donated much of his wealth to fund this and other institutions.