A private viewing was held last night of Art for Guernsey’s newest exhibition celebrating the work of a painter with strong links to the Channel Islands, before the exhibition opened to the public.
The exhibition, ‘Sir Claude Francis Barry: An Enigmatic British Master Inspired by the Channel Islands’, is made up of artworks from a private collection which have not been hung publicly for several years.
While he may not be a household name, Sir Claude Francis Barry (1883–1970) has garnered more attention and gained traction over the years, with his work celebrated for its atmospheric landscapes and architectural compositions.
Art for Guernsey describes Sir Claude as a British Post-Impressionist painter and etcher, his technique is noted for bold colours and stylisation.
It was made possible through a partnership between Art for Guernsey and Le Riche Fine Art Storage, who offer private climate-controlled spaces, shared secure areas, 24-hour monitoring, CCTV and rapid emergency response.
Sir Claude worked across Europe but lived his twilight years in Jersey from about 1949 until shortly before his death, and he spent time in the Bailiwick of Guernsey too, with Sark’s La Coupée being the subject of one of the paintings on show.
The exhibition is now open to the public at Art for Guernsey’s Mansell Street Gallery, and will be available to view until Saturday 4 April.