• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

"Glynn Vivian" logo typed in black text

Swansea’s City Gallery - A vibrant and inspiring art space for everyone

Header Left

Header Right

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube

Header Left

Header Right

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • What’s on
    • Glynn Vivian at Home
    • Exhibitions
    • Collections
    • Learning
    • Events
  • Exhibitions
    • Past
    • Current
    • Future
  • Collections
    • Collection displays
    • Conversations with the Collection
    • Richard Glynn Vivian
    • Conservation
    • Collection highlights
    • Photographic services
    • Swansea’s Three Night Blitz
  • Learning
    • Creative Resources
    • Families
    • Schools + colleges
    • Young people
    • Adults
    • Community
    • Artist in residence
  • Hire
  • Visit
    • Plan your visit
    • Take a virtual tour
    • Getting here
    • Café
    • Shop
    • Access
    • Visit Swansea Bay
  • About
    • History of the Gallery
    • Black Lives Matter
    • Coronavirus
    • Glynn Vivian News
    • Contact Us
    • Email sign-up
    • FAQs
  • Support us
    • Join the Friends of the Glynn Vivian
    • Ways to make a donation
    • Our supporters and networks
  • English
    • Cymraeg
  • Home
  • What’s on
    • Glynn Vivian at Home
    • Exhibitions
    • Collections
    • Learning
    • Events
  • Exhibitions
    • Past
    • Current
    • Future
  • Collections
    • Collection displays
    • Conversations with the Collection
    • Richard Glynn Vivian
    • Conservation
    • Collection highlights
    • Photographic services
    • Swansea’s Three Night Blitz
  • Learning
    • Creative Resources
    • Families
    • Schools + colleges
    • Young people
    • Adults
    • Community
    • Artist in residence
  • Hire
  • Visit
    • Plan your visit
    • Take a virtual tour
    • Getting here
    • Café
    • Shop
    • Access
    • Visit Swansea Bay
  • About
    • History of the Gallery
    • Black Lives Matter
    • Coronavirus
    • Glynn Vivian News
    • Contact Us
    • Email sign-up
    • FAQs
  • Support us
    • Join the Friends of the Glynn Vivian
    • Ways to make a donation
    • Our supporters and networks
  • English
    • Cymraeg

Journeys between Art and Life: Richard Glynn Vivian (1835-1910)

Saturday 15 October 2016 //  by Stephanie Rutt

Saturday 15 October 2016 - Tuesday 15 October 2019
10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Richard Glynn Vivian was the original founder of our gallery in Swansea. Born at Singleton Abbey, Glynn was the fourth son of the wealthy Vivian family, owners of the most successful copper smelting plant in the world in the 19th century.

Glynn left his entire art collection for ‘the enjoyment of the people of Swansea’ in 1908, and the gallery opened in 1911, a year after his death.

Glynn Vivian collected throughout his life, travelling extensively around the world by steamboat and by train, acquiring objects and art works from every country that he visited. Journeys between Art & Life presents his collection and celebrates his life for the first time in over 100 years.

Following in his father’s footsteps before him, Glynn’s collection is outstanding because he was making acquisitions long before it became fashionable to do so, with ceramics from China and European potteries, fans and textiles, miniature portraits, silver and paintings, with most work dating from the 18th century and earlier, as Glynn disliked ‘all things modern’.

Glynn was educated at Eton College and studied Humanities at Cambridge University. When his father died in 1855, he inherited a quarter share in the business, but not having been trained in metallurgy, he did not join his brothers in Swansea, but decided to travel the world collecting art.

The project is generously supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.


Glynn Vivian Art Gallery
Alexandra Road, Swansea, SA1 5DZ
map

0 iCal


Categories

  • Collection displays

Event Category: Collection displays

Footer

Glynn Vivian Art Gallery
Alexandra Road
Swansea, SA1 5DZ

+44 (0)1792 516900
glynn.vivian.gallery@swansea.gov.uk

Sign up to our email

Oriel Gelf Glynn Vivian
Heol Alexandra
Abertawe, SA1 5DZ

+44 (0)1792 516900
glynn.vivian.gallery@swansea.gov.uk

Gwasanaeth ebost

Opening times
Tuesday – Sunday
10.00am – 5.00pm
Last entry 4.30pm

Free admission

Oriau agored
Dydd Mawrth – ddydd Sul
10.00am – 5.00pm
Mynediad olaf 4.30pm

Am ddim

Arts Council of Wales logo
Sponsored by Welsh Government logo
Tate Plus logo
Heritage lottery funded logo
Friends of the Glynn Vivian logo
Sponsored by Accredited Museum logo

Return to top of page

Copyright © · Glynn Vivian | Privacy and cookies| Website accessibility

Cookie notice
This website uses cookies to improve your experience but you can opt-out if you wish. Find out how we use cookies here Cookie settingsAccept
Cookies

Cookies overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website.

Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorised as necessary are stored on your browser, as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.

We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies, but opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT