Fine & Decorative Art
The Museum’s art collections are outstanding. 574 oil paintings constitute Kent's biggest publicly owned collection. Its strengths are pre-1800 minor Dutch and Italian Old Masters and a number of rare paintings by Maidstone born essayist William Hazlitt.
The watercolour and drawings collection numbers over 2,500 items and includes 40 Old Master drawings, 200 watercolours by Albert Goodwin (the largest collection in public hands), and over 1,400 topographical views. The print collection numbers 3,500 and includes 400 by Victorian printing pioneer George Baxter and 100 by the noted engraver William Woollett. Over 1,400 Kentish views are also represented.
Bronzes by Jacob Epstein and Henry Moore are included in our sculpture collection.
Our decorative art collections cover ancient civilisations up to recent times. We have examples of furniture, needlework, ceramics, glass, jewellery and metal-ware from Europe and the Orient, enamel and lacquer from Japan, stained glass and musical instruments.
