Sir Michael Sadler - Barnsley Art Collector (1861 – 1943)

When thinking of art collectors, some may be surprised to hear of an influential collector born on our doorstep here in Barnsley, one that became a notable figure in the history of modern art in Britain. An exhibition currently on display at the Cooper Gallery explores the life of Sir Michael Sadler.

Born in Barnsley in 1861, Sadler studied classics at Trinity College, Oxford, before starting a career as a civil servant. Later he became known as an influential educationist and the Vice Chancellor of Leeds University. During his lifetime he became known for his extensive art collection and for his generous patronage of emerging artists. It is not known when Sadler made his first art purchase, but it is believed he started collecting art in the early 1890s and was a regular frequenter of galleries and exhibitions up and down the country. A wide range of tastes were revealed through his purchases, from the simple ink lines and watercolour washes of works by Ruskin to the more detailed, abstract work of Wadsworth. It is also widely believed that he was one of the earliest collectors of Kandinsky.

Sadler believed an appreciation of art had an important part to play in education and he took delight in sharing his acquisitions, often displaying his collections in public, often in the halls of Leeds University for both students and staff to view. For many students in particular this would be a first encounter with original art. Throughout his life he continued to learn about and appreciate art. He liked to visit artists and record conversations and purchases. His diaries can be found at the Bodlein Library in Oxford.  

Many galleries saw his generosity including the Cooper Gallery on Church Street. He gave works covering two centuries of art history and wrote an accompanying book entitled ‘Notes on a Collection of English Drawings’. Items he bequeathed included Study of a Whippet by Augustus Edwin John. Portrait of the artists Sister, Sarah by Jacob Kramer and Camden Lock by Christopher Nevinson. He remained connected to his home town and frequently visited, often to participate in local events. In 1932 he was the keynote speaker at the opening of the new technical college and the road between the town hall and the university campus was named Sadler Gate in his honour. 

Sadler was knighted in 1919 in recognition of his work as an educationalist, but it is his art collections that are still seen that continue to remind us of the fine art enthusiast he was. I am sure he would be thrilled to know that the collections he shared are now being enjoyed by new generations.