Tenby Museum and Art Gallery has recently acquired a large and important collection of works and memorabilia relating to Gwen and Augustus John.

The collection of material, acquired from Sara John, granddaughter of Augustus John, includes a student pencil and wash drawing from Gwen John's student days at the Slade School of Art, a double-sided work by Edwin John (Augustus's son), a linen painting blouse, silver crucifix and sewing box that all belonged to Gwen, two pipes and an earthenware wine jug that belonged to Augustus and other items of personal memorabilia that belonged to the family.

The museum was extremely fortunate to receive grant aid from both the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, who gave £4,750 and membership charity the Art Fund, who gave £3,500, for these items. There has also been assistance from the Friends of Tenby Museum and Art Gallery.

Collections manager at Tenby Museum, Mark Lewis, who organised the acquisition, said: "This is a fantastic collection of rare and personal material with an irrefutable provenance. There are very few surviving works from Gwen's time at the Slade and we are extremely fortunate to have acquired this work. The memorabilia also gives a sense of the personal, as if the visitor can now share in aspects of the artists' lives beyond their art works.

"Sara John is also happy for the collection to be held at Tenby as both artists have a close connection to the town, having spent their childhood here. I am grateful to Sara for her patience and to the organisations who made this acquisition possible.

"The collection will provide great interest to visitors," he added.

Gwen John was born in Haverfordwest in 1876. Following the death of her mother in 1884, her father moved the family, including her younger brother Augustus, to Tenby, where the children spent their formative years.

In 1896, Gwen persuaded her father to allow her to attend the Slade School of Art; Augustus had gone there two years previous and left in 1898 with the highest honours.

Following her time at the Slade, she moved to France where she remained until her death in 1939.

For a long period, her reputation lay neglected, but now Gwen, along with Augustus, is regarded as one of the principal Welsh artists of the 20th century.

Edwin (1905-1978) was Augustus John's fourth son.

Following persuasion from Gwen, he took up painting in the mid 1930s and lived in Paris between 1935 and 1938 with his wife and son.

Principally he was a watercolourist and had at least two one-man shows. He was close to Gwen, his aunt, and visited her frequently in France. Edwin subsequently organised a series of exhibitions which helped to secure Gwen John's posthumous reputation as an important artist.

To assist with the purchase, the Friends of Tenby Museum and Art Gallery have organised a performance of A Face Behind the Glass, a dramatic monologue written by Mark Lewis on the life of Gwen John.

Local actress Sue Crockford will once again take on the role of Gwen, with Laurie Dale providing the voices of Auguste Rodin and Augustus John.

The performance will be held at the museum tonight (Friday) at 7.30 pm and tickets are available at the museum.

Some of the items from the acquisition will be on display on the night.

Once the works have been properly framed, they will be on show as part of Tenby Museum's permanent collection, which already features various works by Augustus and Gwen John.

It is an appropriate museum to acquire the work given Augustus and Gwen John's connection to Tenby. Augustus had been awarded the Freedom of the Borough in 1959, the highest honour the town could bestow.

Tenby Museum also has a fine collection of 20th century Welsh art, providing further context for the material on the Johns.

For further information, please contact Mark Lewis on 01834 842809 or email [email protected]">[email protected]