York Art Gallery acquires incredible artworks by historical York artist Mary Ellen Best
Date: 11 November 2026
York Art Gallery acquires incredible artworks by historical York artist Mary Ellen Best
In October 2026, York Art Gallery acquired three watercolour paintings by Mary Ellen Best at an auction. Best painted evocative pictures of life and society in the 1830s and 40s. Born in York in October 1809, she lived in the city until 1840 when she married and moved with her husband to Germany. The newly acquired artworks have been passed down continuously in the artist’s family and give a deeply personal view into her art.
Two of the pictures are portraits of the artist’s son, Francis Charles Anthony Sarg (Frank), born 21 December 1840. One shows Frank aged three months, wearing a long gown and bib. The other shows him aged 2 3/4 years, pretending to be a carriage driver with a table and chair as his carriage and horse. These two pictures were purchased with support from the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and Art Fund.
Leanne Manfredi, V&A National Programmes Lead, said, “The Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund is delighted to have supported York Art Gallery in acquiring two watercolour paintings by Mary Ellen Best. This acquisition adds to the most significant body of Best’s work in a public collection, inspiring audiences for years
to come”.
The third picture is an unusual example of Mary Ellen Best’s work, which shows the artist studying the works of Old Masters. It is a copy of a painting by the Italian artist Giambattista Tiepolo entitled The Holy Family appearing in a vision to St Gaetano, originally painted around 1735–1736. This study shows how serious Mary Ellen Best was about her art: although she could not attend art school like her male contemporaries, she sought to gain an artistic education on her own initiative through studying important artworks of the past. This picture was generously gifted to York Art Gallery by Howard Bilton and The Sovereign Art Foundation.
Eleanor Jackson, Curator of Fine Art at York Art Gallery said, “At a time when women were excluded from most artistic institutions and opportunities for developing an artistic career, Best was a serious and prolific artist. It has been estimated that she produced around 1,500 paintings during her lifetime. She regularly exhibited her work during the 1830s, including at York’s first ever public art exhibition in 1836. Best took commissions for many portraits and sold artworks to prominent figures such as the Lord Mayor of York and art dealers in London and Manchester. Yet she is best known for the watercolour paintings made for her private enjoyment which chronicle her life and times: interiors of Yorkshire houses both grand and humble, bustling street scenes, sights from her travels and affectionate portraits of family, friends and interesting characters.”
York Art Gallery owns twenty artworks by Mary Ellen Best. She is also commemorated with a blue plaque installed by York Civic Trust on the house at 14 Clifton where she lived as an independent artist.
York Art Gallery plans to put the artworks on display next year, upon completion of necessary conservation work. York Art Gallery is deeply grateful to the supporters who made these exciting acquisitions possible. Donate today to support York Art Gallery’s conservation work and help save more important art history.
ENDS
Press Images- Mary Ellen Best Acquisition
Image captions
Mary Ellen Best (1809-1891), Francis Charles Anthony Sarg, aged 2 3/4 years, 1843, watercolour on paper. York Museums Trust (York Art Gallery), YORAG : 2026.18. Purchased with support from the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and Art Fund, 2026
Mary Ellen Best (1809-1891), Frank, aged 3 months, 1841, watercolour on paper. York Museums Trust (York Art Gallery), YORAG : 2026.19. Purchased with support from the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and Art Fund, 2026
Mary Ellen Best (1809-1891) after Tiepolo, The Holy Family appearing in a vision to St Gaetano, 1830s/40s, watercolour on paper. York Museums Trust (York Art Gallery), YORAG : 2026.17. Gifted by Howard Bilton and The Sovereign Art Foundation, 2026
For more information on York Art Gallery please contact:
Amy Cope, Public Relations Officer
Email: amy.cope@ymt.org.uk
Phone: 07761634646
York Art Gallery Opening Times: Wednesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm
For more information on York Art Gallery go to: www.yorkartgallery.org.uk
About York Art Gallery
Supported by Arts Council England
York Art Gallery’s collection of paintings spans more than 600 years and works range from 14th century Italian panels and 17th century Dutch masterpieces to Victorian narrative paintings and 20th century works by LS Lowry and David Hockney. The Gallery also holds the most extensive and representative collection of British Studio Ceramics, thanks to the acquisition of collections from Dean Milner–White, WA Ismay and Henry Rothschild and the long term loan of Anthony Shaw’s collection. Highlights are on show in the Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA). The Gallery and its collections are cared for by the charity York Museums Trust, established in 2002.
The Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund is a government fund that helps regional museums, record offices and specialist libraries in England and Wales to acquire objects relating to the arts, literature and history. It was established at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in 1881 and continues to be part of its nationwide work.
The annual grants budget, currently £745,000, is provided by Arts Council England National Lottery Funding. Each year, the Purchase Grant Fund considers some 150 applications and awards grants to around 100 organisations, enabling acquisitions of around £3 million to go ahead.
Find out more on the V&A website: www.vam.ac.uk/purchasegrantfund.
Art Fund is the national charity for museums and galleries. For over 120 years, it has helped institutions across the UK to develop and share their collections, invest in people and expertise, grow their audiences and inspire the next generation.
Art Fund connects museums and people with great art and culture through funding, advocacy and initiatives, because access to art is vital for a healthy society. It champions the sector through the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year award – the world’s largest museum prize – and supports museum professionals through dedicated training and grant programmes.
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