Barnsley’s Radical Collector: The Sadler Gift from Turner to Bloomsbury

Barnsley’s Radical Collector: The Sadler Gift from Turner to Bloomsbury

From the remarkable art collection at The Cooper Gallery, experience an exhibition featuring instinctive sketches, atmospheric watercolours and bold modern paintings. Barnsley's Radical Collector features artworks by renowned British artists, such as Edward Wadsworth, Jacob Kramer, Vanessa Bell and many more.

This collection of British art, dating from the 1750s to the 1930s, was gifted by Sir Michael Ernest Sadler  in the 1930s in memory of his wife, Mary Ann.

We are delighted to also welcome on loan paintings and drawings from the Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery at the University of Leeds, all gifted by Sadler in 1923. These works focus on the strong and experimental work of Bloomsbury artists and the beautiful sketches of Bernard Meninsky.

Research on the collection took place in 2024 and 2025, with an online catalogue of all artworks now available. This has been funded by the Trustees of The Cooper Gallery and Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust.