The Courtauld in London is creating a new centre for the study of British Art following a $12m (£9.4m) donation from the Manton Foundation.
The facility will be named the Manton Centre for British Art after Jim and Gretchen Manton, who created their foundation in 1991 in New York. Today, the foundation is managed by descendants of the Mantons and mainly supports arts, education and environmental projects in the north-east US.
The Manton Centre for British Art will provide a hub for art historians, curators, critics, artists and students nationally and internationally, offering a platform for sharing research and for teaching the next generation of British art specialists.
It will initially be located at the Courtauld’s current campus at Vernon Square, before being housed in purpose-designed premises at Somerset House.
Mark Hallett, Märit Rausing director at the Courtauld, said: “This is a thrilling moment for the Courtauld. Our new Manton Centre will place British art in a global context, and aim to deliver truly world-class teaching and research in this rich, endlessly fascinating field of study.
“The centre will support students through a generously endowed programme of scholarships, and offer a dynamic programme of activities and events across the year. We are hugely grateful to the Manton Foundation for their generous gift, which will enable us to support the very best new thinking and teaching on British art for generations to come.”
The Courtauld, which was founded by collectors and philanthropists in 1932, supports the understanding of the visual arts through teaching, research of art history and a public gallery.
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