Visitors up as 117-year-old exhibition resurrected

Evelyn De Morgan's work featured at the gallery in 1907

An exhibition highlighting Wolverhampton's history as a champion of equality has drawn huge crowds.

Thirty paintings, drawings and sketches from Evelyn De Morgan went on display at the city's Art Gallery earlier this month and will remain there until March.

De Morgan had her work featured at the venue in 1907, something seen as ground-breaking at a time when it was almost unheard of for a gallery to feature a solo female artist.

Exhibitions assistant Bethany Williams said the new display, carefully curated to replicate the original, had been met with a positive response and boosted visitor numbers.

"We've had some really nice comments left," she said.

"With an exhibition like this you don't know if it's going to be the older generation but it's been across the board with art students and all the way through."

Drawings and sketches will feature in the exhibition

Ms Williams said there had "absolutely" been a notable increase in traffic since the exhibition launched.

"We have been full of people during the week which is fantastic," she said.

"People are really surprised how much she has been overlooked in art history."

While visitor figures have not been officially collated yet, it's thought the exhibition could be among the museum's most popular.

The exhibition features oil paintings, a plaster cast sculpture, sketches, drawings and newly-painted artworks that recreate three of her original paintings which were lost in a 1991 fire.

Ruth Stanway, arts and culture service manager at City of Wolverhampton Council, said it showed how Wolverhampton had led the way when it came to representation in the arts.

Ms Stanway said: "At a time when women were not considered serious artists, Evelyn fought convention and discrimination to ensure she could exhibit her works.

“The fact that it was Wolverhampton Art Gallery who worked with Evelyn to realise this ground-breaking show is something we are extremely proud of."

Painted Dreams: The Art of Evelyn De Morgan will be held at Wolverhampton Art Gallery from 19 October to 9 March next year.