The Corporation Art Gallery (open free on week-days, 10 to 4 or 5), devoted mainly to modern British art, is entered from the east side of Guildhall Yard. It was established in 1886, with a basis of historical portraits and other works commissioned by or presented to the Corporation since 1670. The gallery was enlarged and altered in 1890, 1901, and 1922 to provide for important additions, such as the gift, by the artist and his brother, of 100 works by Sir John Gilbert (1817-97), and the Gassiot Bequest in 1902 of 127 paintings (Nos. 637 to 763). The name of the artist and the subject are inscribed on each frame.
GALLERY I. To the left: 949. Elizabeth Stanhope Forbes, Fine day; 1029. Niels M. Lund, Heart of the Empire; 636. J. H. F. Bacon, The City of London Imperial Volunteers' return to London from South Africa (1900), between portraits of Earl Haig and Admiral Beatty by A. C. Tayler; 528. Sir John Gilbert, Morning of Agincourt; 861. Brangwyn, Lord Mayor's Show in the olden days; 771. La Thangue, Mowing bracken; 635. H. S. Tuke, Ruby, gold, and malachite; 613. A. C. Gow, St. Paul's Cathedral (Diamond Jubilee, 1897); 767. Briton Riviere, Temptation in the wilderness; 875. Seymour Lucas, Silenced; 999. F. W. W. Topham, Rescued from the Plague. In the centre: Clytie, a marble bust by G. F. Watts. Steps lead to a gallery at the west end of the room, containing The first leap, by Landseer (No. 691) and other paintings.
GALLERY II. To the left: 590. Lawrence, Sir W. Grant; 1009. Briton Riviere, Lions; 685. J. C. Hook, The Bonxie, Scotland; 830. D. Maclise, Banquet scene in 'Macbeth'; P. Nasmyth, 708. Meeting of the Avon and Severn, 707 (farther on), View in Hampshire. In the centre of the room are a marble statue of Sir Henry Irving as 'Hamlet,' by Onslow Ford, and two floor-cases, containing etchings and mezzotints of London by Joseph Pennell and studies by J. M. Swan. In the passage: 1013. Canaletto, The Monument in 1746; Samuel Scott, 47. Old London Bridge, 46. Entrance to the Fleet River; 96. /. Riley, Sir R. Clayton (frame by Grinling Gibbons).
GALLERY III. Water-colours by Sir John Gilbert, Birket Foster, T. Collier, J. M. Swan, Albert Goodwin, and W. Walcot.
GALLERY IV. To the left: 1041. Carot, Outskirts of a wood; 895. J. M. Swan, Lioness; 712. J. Phillip, A la Reja; Millais, 701. My first sermon; 702. My second sermon; 668. W. Geets, Charles V. and Jeanne Vandergeynst; 661. Dyce, Henry VI. during the battle of Towton; 927. W. S. Burton, Wounded cavalier; 649. Constable, Fording the river; 660. Dyce, George Herbert at Bemerton; 991. J. Brett, Echoes of a far-off storm; 637. Alma Tadema, Pyrrhic dance; 881. FantinLatour, Gladioli and roses; 704. W. J. Muller, Gillingham on the Medway; 634. Arnesby Brown, River bank; 829. W. Osborne, October morning; 975. F. Holl, 'The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away'; 711. Phillip, Chat round the brasero; 786. Walts, Ariadne in Naxos; 882. Fantin-Latour, White roses; 638. Alma Tadema, Pleading.
