A new catalogue of paintings: Camden vol. 1

One of the latest volumes published by the Public Catalogue Foundation is devoted to paintings located in the London Borough of Camden, including the paintings in the Wellcome Library. The Public Catalogue Foundation (PCF) is a charity that, among other activities, is publishing hard-copy catalogues of paintings available to the public in collections throughout the UK.

The PCF catalogue for Camden, vol.1

Perusing the substantial volume is the easiest way to get a synoptic view of the Wellcome Library’s holdings of around 1,300 paintings in oil and acrylic on a variety of subjects.

The volume also includes the paintings in University College London Hospitals; the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine; the Royal Free Hospital; School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS); Sir John Soane’s Museum, and other Camden collections. Two other institutions based in Camden have already each published their paintings in a PCF volume of their own: UCL (including the Slade School of Art) and the Government Art Collection. Other Camden volumes are expected to follow, including among other collections the British Library and the British Museum.

Benjamin Hoadly and his wife. Oil painting by Francis Hayman (1708-1776). Wellcome Library no. 45672i

Thanks to The Mercers’ Company for sponsoring the volume. It was probably one of their members in the mid-18th century who supplied the gold silk fabric worn by Mrs Hoadly in the painting above, one of the paintings reproduced in the new catalogue.

Details of the catalogue: Oil paintings in public ownership in Camden. Vol. 1. Coordinator, Lucy Ellis ; photographers, Andy Johnson and Justin Piperger. 352 pages including 2,000 full colour images. £35. ISBN 9781909475007 or 1909475009.  The catalogue is also available in the Wellcome Library.

Author: William Schupbach