An abstract artistic design

About

Duncan Grant Collection

The JWM Collection at St Peter’s College is one of the largest private collections in the UK of works by the celebrated artist and designer Duncan Grant (1885–1978). The items are on long-term loan to the College by a generous alumnus.

About the JWM Collection

Duncan Grant was a British painter and designer of textiles, pottery, theatre sets and costumes. He was a member of the group of English writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists known as the Bloomsbury Group. The JWM Collection contains more than 100 pieces of Grant’s work housed in the Senior Common Room (SCR) Dining Room, ranging in date from the very beginning of his career to the very end. This includes works in various different media, from watercolour portraits of famous Bloomsbury Group members, such as Vanessa Bell (1879–1961), to designs on mercerised cotton for cushion covers on the RMS Queen Mary.

The collection is open to public viewings for both individuals and groups. For all enquiries please contact the College Archivist.

Alternatively, a glossy catalogue is available for sale (£5) at the Porters' Lodge and digital images of collection items are available to view online the ArtUK website.

The 2022 Romilly Award (Student Essay Prize)

Value: £1,000

Short essay submissions (600-1,000 words) are welcomed on any topic relating to or responding to the JWM Collection of Duncan Grant artworks at St Peter’s College, Oxford. Only current students of Oxford University (undergraduate/postgraduate/visiting) in any discipline are eligible to enter. 

Potential entrants may write to the College Archivist for further criteria and to ask to see the Collection ahead of writing their submission. The essay must be submitted before the deadline of 11.59pm on Friday, 2 December 2022.

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