Issue - meetings

The Commission considered this matter, the Chairman having decided that it was of an urgent nature due to the imminent sale of paintings by Brooksby College. Mr. Max Hunt CC had requested that an item be placed on the agenda in order to allow the Commission to fully debate the matter with a view to halting the sale, if this was proven to be necessary.

The Director of Adults and Communities reported that Brooksby College had placed two paintings on the market which had a high expected value. The paintings were attributed to John Boultbee and had a strong Leicestershire provenance, as they depicted Robert Bakewell, a local farmer who was responsible for pioneering work at Dishley Grange, near Loughborough.

It was suggested that, as the County Council had worked with the College in the past on a Robert Bakewell exhibition, there was a possibility that the paintings may have at one stage been loaned to the College from the Council’s collection. However, following investigatory work into the ownership of the paintings, there was clear evidence that the paintings were not in County Council ownership. The Chief Executive of Brooksby College had agreed to work with the County Council in future if other paintings of significant Leicestershire provenance were intended to be sold.

Members commented on the need to be vigilant on this issue in future, as it was possible that some schools might wish to sell pieces of art that formed part of the Council’s collection.

RESOLVED:

(a)               That the position with respect to the impending sale of artwork at Brooksby College be noted;

(b)               That the need to continue to monitor the sale of artwork that had a Leicestershire provenance be recognised.