STOCKPORT COUNCIL’S FIRST ART COLLECTION ON SHOW

Stockport Story Museum presents ‘Saints & Sinners’, an exhibition of Italian oil paintings gifted to the borough by John Benjamin Smith in 1860. 

These great works painted by skilled Italian artists during the 17^th century will be exhibited in the museum from Saturday 23^rd November.

        Left: St Apollonia, patron saint of dentistry

        The large canvasses capture life-like scenes of
        high drama, charged passion and emotion, vistas
        of classical ruins, iconic religious scenes and
        martyrdom.

        Stories within the paintings are hard to believe –
        tales of miraculous happenings featuring ordinary
        people who achieved amazing feats or showed
        great courage in the name of their faith.

        These people became saints recognised by many
        churches or by a single faith whilst some are
        thought to be the stuff of legends.

        John Benjamin Smith not only gifted these oil
        paintings to Stockport but also funded the
        Stockport’s first museum and his gift became the
        core of the town’s entire museum collection.

Councillor Iain Roberts, Executive Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, said:

“The new exhibition provides a wonderful opportunity to see and be inspired by Stockport Council’s first ever art collection. There’s a fascinating story behind the collection, John Benjamin Smith – the man who gifted the paintings – and the mystical tales the artworks depict.”

Find out more about the intriguing story behind the collection by visiting the exhibition which opens on 23rd November at Stockport Story Museum, 30/31 Market Place, Stockport SK1 1ES.  Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday and Bank Holidays 11am-5pm (closed on Mondays). 

For more information contact Stockport Tourist Information Centre on 0161 474 4444 or visit  www.stockport.gov.uk/museums.