Jersey Heritage's Largest Acquisition Of Art

Wednesday, 31 January 2024 14:18

Jersey Heritage has bought the most extensive collection of art in its history.

Philip John Ouless's family approached the organisation to purchase 70 pieces - created by Philip himself and his descendants.

The 19th-century artist is best known for his paintings of ships, which were commissioned by merchants.

However, Ouless also painted and photographed Jersey, with iconic scenes and landscapes depicted in oil and watercolour.

Philip John Ouless - Beauport

Jersey Heritage spent £70,000 on the new collection.

It contains self-portraits and glimpses into his private life, such as photographs from his holidays in Europe and portraits of his wife and children.

In a statement, the Ouless family say they are delighted that this important collection has returned to Jersey and is in the expert care of Jersey Heritage.

"Among the many views of the island and the places to which he travelled are our family portraits, including a self-portrait of Philip Ouless and his wife and children.

While the portraits have great personal significance and have been in our family for over 150 years, we recognise their historical importance and how much they contribute towards an understanding of the artist as a person."

Philip John Ouless - Self-portrait

The collection will be catalogued for islanders to access online, and on 9 March 2024, there will be an exhibition of Ouless' works in Trinity at the Sir Francis Cook Gallery.

Helena Kergozou, Jersey Heritage’s Senior Registrar, says the charity was extremely grateful to the Ouless family for offering a first option to buy.

"This is a very exciting moment for Jersey Heritage, particularly for the collections team. It is our biggest art purchase to date and this large collection of Ouless artworks represents an incredible addition to our art collection, which helps us to tell the stories of Jersey’s most important artists."