A Special Painting
A Special Painting
A Special Painting
A Special Painting
When the Whitworth Gallery shop asked the Friends to choose a work from the Whitworth collection to reproduce as a “mini print”, our decision was unanimous-a magical little water colour, "Celestial Body above the Cabin", or, as it is also known, "Moon Over the Cottage", by the Swiss-German artist, Paul Klee.
What makes this work special for us?
In order to answer this we need to tell you a little about Cosmo Rodewald, his connection with this work, and his connection with the Friends of the Whitworth.
Cosmo was a modest and delightful man, and, by all accounts, an excellent teacher. Born in New Jersey into a family of successful merchants and traders, who originated in Bremen, Germany in the 18th Century, he was educated in England, first at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, and then at New College, Oxford, where he took a first class degree in Classics. The next two years were spent doing research at the British School in Athens, but this was cut short by the outbreak of WW2. After war service, he came to Manchester University in 1947 where he stayed until taking early retirement in 1976.
Cosmo always loved the Whitworth, and must have joined the Friends of the Whitworth soon after he arrived in Manchester. He was a member of our committee during the 1970s. People who were lucky enough to be invited to parties at his home in Platt Lane, not far from the Gallery, were aware that he had surrounded himself with many works of art, although he always denied that he was a collector, preferring to describe himself as someone who simply acquired things from time to time, mostly the works of friends and acquaintances. In fact his “not a collection”, which was bequeathed to the Whitworth Gallery, includes sculpture by Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, and more than a dozen paintings and drawings by, amongst others, Ben Nicholson, Peter Lanyon and Terry Frost. And amongst these was Paul Klee’s "Moon Over the Cottage". Rodewald had bought this when he was still a student and it hung in his home throughout his life.
So that is the story of this lovely work. As if this was not enough, there was also a financial endowment which, over the years, has helped the Friends to purchase works by living artists, as requested in the terms of the endowment. In addition, the Friends are not the only ones to benefit from Cosmo’s generosity. Manchester University Department of Music acquired a wonderful new 350 seater concert hall and more than a dozen arts organisations in and around Manchester, as well as the Penwith Society of Artists in Cornwall and New College, Oxford, also benefited from Cosmo Rodewald’s generosity.
Copies of the mini print, "Moon Over the Cottage", are available in the Whitworth Gallery shop, where you can also purchase a frame to fit, so that for less than £20 you can enjoy this lovely painting and a piece of Whitworth history.
***** The information in this article has been provided by Rosemary Marsh.
When the Whitworth Gallery shop asked the Friends to choose a work from the Whitworth collection to reproduce as a “mini print”, our decision was unanimous-a magical little water colour, "Celestial Body above the Cabin", or, as it is also known, "Moon Over the Cottage", by the Swiss-German artist, Paul Klee.
What makes this work special for us?
In order to answer this we need to tell you a little about Cosmo Rodewald, his connection with this work, and his connection with the Friends of the Whitworth.
Cosmo was a modest and delightful man, and, by all accounts, an excellent teacher. Born in New Jersey into a family of successful merchants and traders, who originated in Bremen, Germany in the 18th Century, he was educated in England, first at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, and then at New College, Oxford, where he took a first class degree in Classics. The next two years were spent doing research at the British School in Athens, but this was cut short by the outbreak of WW2. After war service, he came to Manchester University in 1947 where he stayed until taking early retirement in 1976.
Cosmo always loved the Whitworth, and must have joined the Friends of the Whitworth soon after he arrived in Manchester. He was a member of our committee during the 1970s. People who were lucky enough to be invited to parties at his home in Platt Lane, not far from the Gallery, were aware that he had surrounded himself with many works of art, although he always denied that he was a collector, preferring to describe himself as someone who simply acquired things from time to time, mostly the works of friends and acquaintances. In fact his “not a collection”, which was bequeathed to the Whitworth Gallery, includes sculpture by Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, and more than a dozen paintings and drawings by, amongst others, Ben Nicholson, Peter Lanyon and Terry Frost. And amongst these was Paul Klee’s "Moon Over the Cottage". Rodewald had bought this when he was still a student and it hung in his home throughout his life.
So that is the story of this lovely work. As if this was not enough, there was also a financial endowment which, over the years, has helped the Friends to purchase works by living artists, as requested in the terms of the endowment. In addition, the Friends are not the only ones to benefit from Cosmo’s generosity. Manchester University Department of Music acquired a wonderful new 350 seater concert hall and more than a dozen arts organisations in and around Manchester, as well as the Penwith Society of Artists in Cornwall and New College, Oxford, also benefited from Cosmo Rodewald’s generosity.
Copies of the mini print, "Moon Over the Cottage", are available in the Whitworth Gallery shop, where you can also purchase a frame to fit, so that for less than £20 you can enjoy this lovely painting and a piece of Whitworth history.
***** The information in this article has been provided by Rosemary Marsh.
Comments & Discussion
No comments to display