Oil painting, 'Muscats', William Jabez Muckley, 1903

Given by the artist

Given by the artist, 1905

Historical significance: William Jabez Muckley (1829-1905) studied at Birmingham School of Art from 1852. As a flower and still-life painter he exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1858 and 1904.

Muckley had a distinguished career within the government schools of art run by the Department of Science and Art from their headquarters at the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A): in the late 1850s he was appointed head of the Burslem School of Art and, shortly afterwards, was made headmaster of the Wolverhampton art school. In 1862 he became principal of the Manchester School of Art.

Muckley exhibited 'Muscats etc.' as number 18 in the 1901 exhibition of the Institute of Oil Colours, priced at £80.

Muckley presented this sumptuous painting of muscat grapes on a silver salver to the V&A in 1905, the year of his death.

William Jabez Muckley worked as a glasscutter, designer and engraver before studying fine art in Birmingham, London and Paris. Muckley specialised in flower and still-life subjects characterised by rich colours and skillfully rendered textures, which demonstrate the influence of seventeenth century Dutch and Flemish still-lifes. Bunches of grapes, like those in this painting, were a recurring central motif in Muckley’s work. In addition to his work as an artist, Muckley had a distinguished career within the Government Schools of Art, run from their headquarters at the South Kensington Museum. In the late 1850s he was appointed head of the Burslem School of Art and shortly afterwards, was made headmaster of the Wolverhampton Art School. In 1862 he became principal of the Manchester School of Art.

331-1905