wo Watchers on a Staircase, c.1960s

Cement fondu and metal

Given by Sarah Hosking, 2019

Alma Ramsey-Hosking studied at the Royal College of Art in London during the 1920s and later moved to Warwickshire where she and her husband, the artist Richard ‘Dick’ Hosking, contributed to the creative boom that blossomed in the county during the post-war years.

In this sculpture Ramsey-Hosking conveys a sense of movement through the dynamic poses of the figures and the partial spiral staircase. The attenuated, semi-abstracted figures of this work are typical of the style of many artists working in the period, as is Ramsey-Hosking’s choice of material, cement fondu.

The Temptation of St Anthony, c.1640-1660

Oil on panel

Bequeathed by Mr. George Watson through the Art Fund, 2015

This painting was bequeathed, along with other Dutch Golden Age works, by George Watson (1927-2013) who was a Professor of English at Cambridge University.

The story of the temptation of St Anthony has its roots in the medieval period. It tells of how the hermit St Anthony withstood demonic apparitions and temptations during his period of religious contemplation in the Egyptian desert.

Whilst the primary purpose of the painting was to offer religious inspiration, the grotesque demons and unusual imagery also allowed viewers to contemplate these sins from a safe distance. The Temptation of St Anthony was an incredibly popular subject and one which the artist repeated many times.

Old Grey Mare with her Foal, date unknown

Oil on card

Purchased, 2009

Kemp-Welch is known for her paintings of animals, especially horses. As an illustrator she brought to life Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty – the Autobiography of a Horse and her skill and commitment to her subject resulted in her being elected the first president of the Society of Animal Painters in 1914. This small and quiet study of a horse and her foal can be viewed in contrast to Winter’s White Silence, a significant work by Kemp-Welch which is on display in Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum’s permanent collection.