Expert eye cast over City Museum's Cottonian Collection

Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery’s nationally important Cottonian Collection will be the focus of a special lecture by staff from Plymouth University on Wednesday 13 March.

‘The Cottonian Collection – The Expert Eye’ will interpret the significance of William Cotton’s beautiful, privately printed and lavishly illustrated book on the ancient settlements of Cornwall. Only 25 copies of the book were ever made and the Cottonian holds one of the survivors.

The talk, which will take place at the museum from 1pm to 2pm, is part of the university’s Festival of Research. The festival runs until Friday 22 March and will feature public talks and workshops by academics and guest lecturers that showcase some of the world class research currently taking place at the university.

The Museum and Art Gallery has been working with staff and students at the university's Centre for Research in Humanities, Music and Performing Arts (HuMPA) over the last year to investigate and better understand the history of the Cottonian Collection.

The collection was assembled by 18th century gentleman Charles Rogers FRS FSA (1711-1784), before being passed through three generations of the Cotton family and then being gifted '... for the purposes of amusement and instruction by the inhabitants of the Towns of Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport and their vicinity...' in 1852.

The collection includes oil paintings, Old Master and English drawings and watercolours, sculpture, furniture, ceramics, a library of over two thousand volumes and more than seven thousand fine prints. It is protected by an Act of Parliament.

Admission to the talk is free but places must be booked in advance - visit the university's eStore at estore.plymouth.ac.uk.

Full details about the Festival of Research are available at www.plymouth.ac.uk and more information about the Cottonian Collection is available at www.cottoniancollection.org.uk.