Watercolours

Thanks to several people, but particularly one John Edward Taylor, The Whitworth is home to an internationally renowned collection of British watercolours.

Taylor was the gallery's greatest benefactor. He bequeathed 266 watercolours and drawings of the highest quality to the gallery between 1892 and 1912. As the owner of the Manchester Guardian (now The Guardian), Taylor exemplified a period when wealth generated from industrial and commercial ventures was transformed into cultural wealth.

Highlights from Taylor’s collection will be on display, including works by three of the best exponents of watercolour: 22 works by J. M. W. Turner, seven by William Blake and four by John Robert Cozens.