Major British collector buys Sisley for a charity

Andrew Brownsword has emerged as a major buyer in the British art market, acquiring for a charity which is generously lending to public collections. His latest acquisition is Sisley’s “View of the Thames: Charing Cross Bridge”, which has gone on show at the National Gallery for three years. The painting is Sisley’s only view of central London, done during a visit in 1874. Established by greetings card millionaire and hotelier Andrew Brownsword, the Andrew Brownsword Art Foundation has now bought four major works. Its earlier acquisitions were: Gainsborough’s “Byam Family” (bought in 2000 for £3 million and on loan to Holburne Museum in Bath), Lowry’s “Six Bells” (bought in 2002 for £580,000 and on loan to the National Museum and Gallery of Wales in Cardiff) and John Brett’s “The River Dart” (bought in 2003 for £287,000 and on loan to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter). The charity is still actively collecting and at Sotheby’s on 2 June it was apparently an underbidder for Spencer’s “Christ preaching at Cookham Regatta” which sold for £1,238,000. Mr Brownsword’s advisor is London dealer Guy Morrison.