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The latest Bingley Gallery Exhibition celebrates earlier artists of the Bradford region. Carefully assembled over many years by gallery owner David Starley, the collection brings together historic regional paintings. The area of modern-day Bradford has long been home to a remarkable concentration of highly skilled artists. Many of these trained at the Mechanics’ Institutes and the art schools of Bradford, Keighley and Shipley that later developed from them. Local landscapes predominate.

It is generally the urban views that have changed the most: The Bradford pictured by Arthur McArthur in the 1870’s predates even the grand Victorian architecture. Along the rivers and on the uplands, less has changed, although when Joe Pighills’ son, John, visited the gallery some years ago, he was able to point out which of the dilapidated cottages his father painted had since been demolished, whilst others have been modernised into more comfortable residences. Many artists who benefited from the excellent training offered by local Mechanics’ Institutes and art schools continued to paint in traditional styles. Others stepped away from such approaches, notably Denise Rooum and Bingley’s Myriam Burton.

Artists represented in the show include: James Arundel (1875-1960), Myriam Burton (1907-1997), Gordon Clifford Barlow (1930-2005), Myriam Burton (1907-1997), John Butterfield (1913-97), Tom Clifton Butterfield (1856-1937), Arthur Craven (1934-2013), Alan John Green 1921 – 2020, James Hardaker (1901-91), Maud Raphael Jones (1863 – 1935) Fred Cecil Jones (1891-1956) Ethel May Jones (nee Kitson) (1894-1964), Robert Henry (Joe) Lee (1915-2007), Arthur McArthur (1828-1892), Percy Monkman (1892-1986), Govinder Nazran (1964–2008), Bill Parker (1922–2017), Joseph Pighills (1902-84) John C Pighills (1943-2025), Edward Renard (1854-1915), Denise Rooum (1929-2018), Herbert Royle (1870-1958) Wiliam Charles Rushton (1860-1921), John Sowden (1838-1926), Frances Watson Sunderland (1866-1949) and William Hartley Waddington (1883-1961).