Introduction: The Journey of Gwen John’s Studio Collection

In 1976, one hundred years after Gwen John’s birth, the National Museum of Wales purchased nearly 1,000 works by the artist from her nephew, Edwin. This collection comprised a handful of oil paintings and hundreds of works on paper that were all part of John’s studio collection.

What Is a Studio Collection?

A studio collection is all the artworks left in an artist’s studio after their death.

When Gwen John died suddenly in September 1939, she left all her property, including her unsold artworks, to her nephew. War had just been declared in Europe and Edwin hurried across the Channel to gather what he could and bring it to the UK for safekeeping, returning after the war to collect the rest. The collection now belonging to Amgueddfa Cymru is the bulk of what remained in Gwen John’s studio, though many works were sold at Matthiesen’s Gallery on Bond Street in London in 1946 and in subsequent exhibitions in the 1950s and 1960s.

How the Collection Came to Amgueddfa Cymru

By purchasing the remaining studio collection, the museum became home to the largest public collection of John’s work anywhere in the world. The studio collection at Amgueddfa Cymru includes over 900 drawings as well as six oil paintings and a number of sketchbooks. Before the museum purchased the studio collection, it owned just three drawings and four oil paintings by Gwen John.

Unfinished Paintings That Reveal Her Technique

The Gwen John studio collection gives an insight into the many different subjects the artist depicted and the different styles with which she experimented. John is best known for her close-toned oil paintings of women and girls seated in quiet interiors. The examples in the studio collection are unfinished, giving us an insight into her painting technique. For example, Girl in Profile (NMW A 148) shows where John has scraped back the paint surface where the girl’s hairbow would have been. Presumably, she was unhappy with her first attempt and scraped it away to try painting it again. Study of a Seated Nude (NMW A 4928) is unusual because it shows John has worked from the outer of the edges inwards, leaving the face of the sitter until last. Both paintings give us a glimpse of the unusual chalky ground (the pale base layer she put on the canvas first before painting over it in oil paint). She mixed this herself using a unique recipe for which we still don’t know the exact ingredients.

A Vast Body of Drawings and Works on Paper

The most notable feature of the studio collection though is the sheer number of drawings and watercolours in it. While John was more focused in her choice of subjects and technique in her paintings, her works on paper are much more varied. They include landscapes and street views, studies of flowers and trees, sketches of cats and horses, and drawings after portrait photographs. Many works are made in series or sets which repeat the same subject. These can be almost identical (NMW A 15751, NMW A 15752, NMW A 15753), or vary in colour and medium (NMW A 15303, NMW A 15304, NMW A 15305).

Recurring Subjects: Churches, Figures, and Everyday Life

The most frequent subject in her works on paper are figures in church (NMW A 3811). She drew the congregants of her local parish church in Meudon, then copied out these images again and again in her studio before adding watercolour and white pigment (NMW A 3611). The single image repeated the most often is Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and her sister, Céline, as children (NMW A 3536, NMW A 15563, NMW A 15565). It was inspired by a photograph of them, of which Gwen John owned a copy. In each version she drew, John changed the composition slightly, adding and removing curtains, wallpaper, and toys from the background, playing with scale, and changing the colours and patterns of every surface. John used much more vivid colours in her works on paper than she ever did in her oil paintings.

What the Collection Reveals About Gwen John

The Gwen John studio collection gives us an insight into the artistic practice of one of Wales’s best-loved artists. Containing unfinished oil paintings, sketchbooks, and works on paper, it shows how methodical and experimental she was. It also gives us a glimpse into her world: the places where she lived, her friends and neighbours, her pets, her interest in nature and religion, and her art training. This collection is an invaluable resource, befitting of one of the most famous Welsh artists of the twentieth century.

As the National Slate Museum continues its major redevelopment programme, an important community of residents remains very much at the heart of our plans - our bats! 

Working closely with ecologist Carola Hoskins of SK Environmental Solutions ltd, we’ve been carefully monitoring and protecting ten known bat roosts across the site. 

These roosts are home mainly to common and soprano pipistrelle bats, two of the smallest bat species in the UK. 

Seven of the roosts are used by individual males or non-breeding females, but one is particularly special - a soprano pipistrelle maternity roost that supports around 65 bats at its Summer peak.

A Safe Place for New Life

Although the colony is currently winter hibernating elsewhere, by late April the bats will begin to return. 

At this time around 35 females will settle into the maternity roost and by late May or early June, each Mother gives birth to a single pup doubling the colony size almost overnight. While 65 bats might sound like a lot, it’s a relatively small maternity colony for soprano pipistrelles, making every individual important.

One of Nature’s Cleverest Adaptations

“Bats have many remarkable traits, but one of the most fascinating is delayed fertilisation." said Carola. "Female bats mate in autumn, but they delay pregnancy until spring, storing sperm through the winter months. This ensures that pups are born at exactly the right time when warmth, food, and safe roosting conditions give them the best chance of survival. It’s one of the many reasons these tiny mammals are so well adapted to life in the UK."

Conservation at the Heart of Our Redevelopment

Because bats and their roosts are legally protected, all redevelopment work involving the roofs at the Naional Slate Museum or potential bat habitat is carried out under licence, and only during winter while the bats are away. 

Carola is working alongside our Museum and Construction teams to guide every step of this process, by ensuring that roost entrances remain open, structures remain suitable, and the bats can return safely each spring.  This careful approach allows us to progress with essential redevelopment while safeguarding a species that has lived alongside the museum buildings for generations.

The National Slate Museum redevelopment project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, UK Government via Cyngor Gwynedd as part of the Llewyrch o'r Llechi project, Welsh Government including the Community Facilities Programme, the Wolfson Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation and other funders. We are extremely grateful to all our funders for their support.      

Over the past few years, a fascinating project has been underway at Amgueddfa Cymru. With support from the Cardiff Naturalists’ Society, more than 1,000 photographs taken by pioneering Welsh naturalist Harry Morrey-Salmon (1891 – 1985) have been digitised and will be added to the Museum’s Collections Online. Preserving these remarkable images has been a big task, but also a hugely rewarding one. Seeing them come to life on screen, and knowing they’ll soon be available online for everyone to explore, has been a real highlight.

This collection is more than just beautiful photography. It offers a rare glimpse into the wildlife of Wales throughout the 20th century, capturing both scientific detail and cultural heritage in every frame. It celebrates Morrey-Salmon’s fantastic work and dedication to his craft; it’s been an honour to contribute to his legacy.

Why is digitisation so important?

Digitisation is more than just scanning old photographs; it’s a powerful tool for preservation. When we digitise a collection like Morrey-Salmon’s, we’re not just creating digital copies; we’re safeguarding fragile materials from the wear and tear of time.

Morrey-Salmon’s photographs are decades old. Some are faded, others are delicate, and all are vulnerable to damage from light, handling, or environmental changes. The Cardiff Naturalist Society did an amazing job of identifying, cleaning and organising these images for us, so that Robin Maggs, our photographer, could convert these images into high-resolution digital files.

My role in this as the Documentation Assistant was to enter all the metadata into our collection system. It might sound technical, but at its core, metadata is how we give each image context and meaning.

For the Harry Morrey-Salmon collection, this meant carefully examining each photograph and recording details like:

· What’s in the image – birds, landscapes, people, or wildlife.

· Where it was taken – often somewhere in Wales, but sometimes further afield

· When it was taken – if known or estimated based on clues.

· Any notes or captions – there were plenty of diaries and letters from Morrey-Salmon that I could use to gain context.

Each entry became a mini-investigation. Some photos came with handwritten notes from Morrey-Salmon himself, offering insights into the species he observed or the locations he visited. Others were more mysterious, requiring a bit of detective work, cross-referencing locations, identifying bird species, or deciphering the faces in the photographs.

What struck me most was how this information transforms a simple image into something searchable and sharable. Without it, a photo is just a visual. With it, it becomes part of a larger story; connected to a place, a time, and a person’s passion for nature.

This process also made me reflect on how much care goes into making museum collections accessible. Behind every image you see online, there’s someone who’s

taken the time to describe it, tag it, and ensure it can be found by researchers, bird enthusiasts, or curious browsers alike.

Once a photograph is digitised, it can be stored securely, backed up, and shared across the world. It becomes part of a living archive, accessible to anyone curious about Wales’s natural history. These groundbreaking photographs are no longer locked away in museum stores; these images can be explored from anywhere in the world.

In a way, digitisation breathes new life into historical collections. It allows us to connect the past with the present and ensures that the stories captured in these photographs, of birds, landscapes, and Morrey-Salmon’s dedication to nature, aren’t lost to time.

Highlights from the Collection

The digitisation process has revealed several exciting discoveries that shed light on Morrey-Salmon’s life and work.

Among the many treasures in the collection is what appears to be Morrey-Salmon’s earliest surviving photograph of a bird: a Lapwing, sat on a nest, taken in April of 1909. At first glance, it might seem like this was his first attempt at bird photograph, but his diaries tell a different story. In earlier entries, Morrey-Salmon writes about photographing various birds, and there are several images of nests and eggs that predate this one. So, while this Lapwing photo isn’t the first he ever took, it’s likely the oldest that has stood the test of time. It’s an important reminder of how fragile photographic archives can be and how lucky we are to have this glimpse into his early work.

Notably, Morrey-Salmon’s documented much of the International Ornithological Congress’ visit to Skokholm Island in 1934. Over a hundred delegates made the journey to this Pembrokeshire Island, arriving and departing in style aboard two Royal Navy destroyers, the HMS Windsor and HMS Wolfhound, which sailed from Tenby to the island.

Morrey-Salmon’s photographs offer a vivid glimpse into this historic occasion, featuring not only the bustling activity of the congress but also some familiar faces. Welsh ornithologist Ronald Lockley, a key figure in Skokholm’s natural history, appears in several images, as does the former King Ferdinand I of Bulgaria, who was an avid bird watcher himself.

As I worked through the digitisation of Morrey-Salmon’s photographic archive, more familiar names began to surface. Among them were a series of images of flower specimens, labelled ‘Miss Vachell’s’. At first, the name didn’t ring a bell, but after some digging, I realised these were the herbarium specimens of Eleanor Vachell, a distinguished Welsh botanist who, like Morrey-Salmon, had close ties with the National Museum of Wales.

Discovering these connections between such influential figures in Welsh natural history has been a real joy. It’s moments like these that make the digitisation process so rewarding, as it is not just preserving the past, but bringing its stories to light.
 

Preserving the Past, for the Future
 

Digitising Harry Morrey-Salmon’s photographs has been more than just a technical task, it’s been an opportunity to rediscover stories, connections, and remarkable individuals who shaped Welsh natural history. From ornithologists and botanists to royalty, each image offers a glimpse into a rich and fascinating legacy.

A heartfelt thank you to the Cardiff Naturalists’ Society for their valuable contributions and dedication to this project. Their hard work and support have played a key role in helping preserve and share Morrey-Salmon’s legacy with a wider audience. It’s been a privilege to help make this collection more accessible to the public, and I hope these photographs continue to inspire curiosity and appreciation for the natural world, just as they did for those who first captured and studied it.

The digitised photographs are available through the museum’s online collection here: Collections Online | Museum Wales

National Slate Museum Slate Quarrymen swap Industrial workshops for Castle splendour!  

For the first time in history slate quarrymen are working at Penrhyn Castle – the home of one of the wealthiest Slate Quarry owners in North Wales.  

Our demonstrating Slate Quarrymen, who usually hold demonstrations at the Museum in Llanberis, are instead demonstrating their skills and craftsmanship at the Castle.  

This astounding turning point comes as we are temporarily close to the public for redevelopment but we didn't want to stop telling our story so decided to take our story to other locations important to the story of slate and which are part of the World Heritage designation for the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales.  

Penrhyn Slate Quarry established by the Pennant family, dominated the Welsh slate industry for almost 150 years and was notorious for its harsh working conditions. In 1900, over 2000 workers went on strike for better wages and working conditions - a culmination of several years of dissatisfaction and unrest. 

Known locally as the Penrhyn Lockout, the strike lasted for over three years and was one of the longest and most bitter industrial disputes in British history. It caused incredible hardship for the Quarrymen and their families and ripped apart a community, dividing it into strike ‘faithful’s’ who remained on strike or left to find other work elsewhere, and ‘bradwrs’ (traitors) who returned to work. 

Many in the local community still regard the Castle as a symbol of wealth and oppression. Historically, Quarrymen would not have crossed the threshold to the Castle and many of their families have struggled to do so since then. 

Now managed by National Trust Cymru, Penrhyn Castle and Garden have been working with artists and the local community for over a decade to share more about this history and re-engage with its local community as Ceri Williams, General Manager at Penrhyn Castle explained: 

“Over the last decade and more we’ve been working to re-address the way we share our industrial and colonial connections at Penrhyn Castle. Each year, we've achieved new milestones, but welcoming the Quarrymen into the castle marks a significant leap forward in reconnecting the community with this historic site. 

Already, crowds have been gathering to catch a glimpse of the live slate-splitting demonstration that not only celebrates local craftmanship but provides authentic experiences that resonates with the castle’s industrial history. As we continue to work with the National Slate Museum over coming months, we look forward to combining our offers and providing visitors with a unique and memorable visit to Penrhyn Castle.”

For us, the opportunity to have our Quarrymen demonstrating at Penrhyn Castle is a key feature of our redevelopment programme - in particular our Museum on the Move campaign in 2025 as Elen Roberts, Head of the National Slate Museum explained: 

“We’re very grateful to the team at Penrhyn Castle and to National Trust Cymru, for giving us this unique opportunity to work with them as part of our redevelopment programme for the National Slate Museum.  We’ve worked closely with the Trust over the years to share the story of slate and this opportunity to share our Quarrymen’s skills and stories is an enormous thing from both sides. Relocating here – and to other sites around the World Heritage designation during our Museum’s redevelopment - will allow us to engage with new audiences and ensure our story continues beyond the walls of the museum. 

Our staff will benefit from continuing to interact with the public which will enhance their knowledge of the slate story, and hopefully visitors will benefit from encountering Museum staff in new locations – which, alongside the National Trust’s existing offer to visitors at Penrhyn Castle, will offer a fresh perspective on the story of slate”

Both attractions are key parts of the World Heritage Site for the Slate Landscape of North West Wales. Lord Dafydd Wigley, Chair of the Llechi Cymru Partnership welcomed the development:

“Cyngor Gwynedd and its partners have worked together over many years to develop a strong partnership to deliver the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales World Heritage nomination and subsequent inscription. The results of this strong and active partnership is now bearing fruit as we not only see significant investment of over £30m through the Llewyrch o’r Llechi programme of activities - such as those at Amgueddfa Lechi Cymru and others across the Slate Landscape; but we are also seeing new and innovative ways of working together to reach new audiences, provide new experiences and to share our monumental and global story of how north Wales roofed the world.”

The Quarrymen are at Penrhyn Castle on a daily basis during 2025.                                         

For more information about the history of Penrhyn Castle visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/penrhyn-castle-and-garden

This month, one of the National Waterfront Museum’s largest displays is being dismantled, preparing the ground for our upcoming redevelopment.

These are our three ‘paternosters’ – continuously revolving elevators which reach almost ceiling height. Historically, paternoster lifts were used in buildings for people to step in and out to any floor they wished. Our museum paternosters allowed an extended display of exciting objects for visitors standing at floor level, triggering video interpretation as each case reached the front of the structure.

With revolving cogs, chains and the sounds of creaking metal, the Waterfront paternosters’ design echoed the industrial roots of the surrounding landscape and the museum’s thematic focus. Packed with examples of manufactured metals made in Wales, and internationally using Welsh metals, they are grouped under the categories ‘iron and steel, ‘non-ferrous’ and ‘coatings’. 

The display celebrated the skills of Welsh metalworkers whilst highlighting the impact of these industries on the wider world.

Planning the National Waterfront Museum in the early 2000s gave designers an opportunity to introduce modern and innovative methods of display. Just one other museum in the world uses the technique – the Audi Museum in Ingolstadt, Germany. 

What’s next for the paternosters?

Unfortunately, wear and tear on the components and the high cost of repairs meant the paternosters were unable to work as intended and visitors could not engage with the display, so the difficult decision was made to remove them. 

However, it is hoped that this is the first step towards a revamped gallery and a better offer for our visitors.

In the meantime, our curators are working on a redisplay with fresh, contemporary interpretation, allowing visitors to experience the objects in a new way. By the end of the year, we hope to use the space for a long-term display showcasing the inextricable links between Welsh industry and our maritime heritage – watch this space!