Rare chance to see paintings by Newark-born artist on display in Newark Town Hall Museum
A Newark-born artist who went on to live a life of poverty in Guernsey is featured in a new exhibition at Newark Town Hall Museum.
Most of the works on display belong to a private collector, and have not been seen on public show before.
Curator Patty Temple said she was approached by the private collector, who lives locally, with an offer to have the works to exhibit on loan.
“I was absolutely delighted,” she said. “These works have not been on public display before so it is a one-off opportunity to see them.”
The collection is displayed over two rooms, and features horticultural and landscape works.
The artist, William Caparne, was born in Newark in 1855, the son of Sophia Warwick and John Caparn.
His parents were both artistic, and shared a love of gardening and flowers. He attended the town’s Magnus Grammar School, where he was taught art by another famous Newark artist, William Cubley.
Caparne’s ancestors had played a part in Newark’s history for several centuries. Both his uncle, John Smith Caparn, and great uncle, Thomas John Caparn, were mayors of the town and other ancestors included a pharmacist and a maltster.
His family was known for their artistic temperament. His father was a music teacher and his mother an amateur portraitist.
Caparne’s artistic talent led him to being appointed assistant drawing master at Oundle School, Northampton, by the age of 22, and he also gave private tuition. Three years later he was made head of art.
Caparne had a deep interest in horticulture, and when not painting he was tending his garden and researching the botanical world.
So when a new headteacher at Oundle wanted him to teach drawing of technology and engineering, and after the recent death of his wife, Caparne left Oundle in 1895.
He moved to Guernsey with his young daughter and devoted himself to his art and botanical studies. It is here he added the final e to his name.
He remained dedicated to his work in the face of poverty and sight loss, and died in 1940.
Newark Town Hall Museum has a small permanent display about Caparne, but the full exhibition, which opened this week, features about 40 works, along with information about the artist and his life.
Newark Town Council owns a Caparne watercolour of three daffodils, which reminded him of his mother. His interest in the daffodil started in 1880, and many of his paintings were exhibited at the Royal Botanic Society, London, and the Royal Horticultural Society shows.
The exhibition, which began yesterday, runs until Saturday, February 8, except December 16 to January 5, when the museum is closed.
