Event Item: 00028

Industry to Impressionism: What two sisters did for Wales

Exhibition: 14th Jul 2007 to 6th Jan 2008

Source: http://www.museumwales.ac.uk

The extraordinary story of Gwendoline and Margaret Davies is explored for the first time in this major exhibition at National Museum Cardiff. The sisters are well known for donating their astonishing collection of Impressionist paintings to the Museum, with works by Monet, Cézanne, Renoir and Van Gogh, including 'San Giorgio Maggiore by Twilight' by Claude Monet (1840-1926).

How they collected such ground-breaking works of art is just one aspect of the fascinating story uncovered by this exhibition. Gwendoline and Margaret had a highly privileged but strict, religious upbringing. It was their strong social conscience that led to their pioneering work in the arts, service in the Red Cross canteens in France during the First World War, their interest in the important social issues of their day and, of course, the establishment of the Gregynog Press at their home in mid-Wales.

National Museum Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3NP. Tel: (029) 2039 7951. Guided tours Wednesdays-Saturdays, 12 pm. Book on arrival.