A painting from the National Gallery's collection will go on display at the Cooper Gallery in Barnsley from November 2026, as part of a national tour to share masterpieces with audiences across the UK.
Pierre Mignard's portrait The Marquise de Seignelay, created in 1691, will be the centrepiece of the exhibition. Barnsley is one of only four venues selected to host the work during its tour.
Exhibition Details
The exhibition, titled Mignard: Love, Power, Identity, opens on Saturday 14 November 2026 and runs until Saturday 20 February 2027. Admission is free.
Alongside the National Gallery loan, the Cooper Gallery will display paintings, ceramics and glass from Barnsley's own collections. The exhibition explores how artists have represented people, status and identity across different periods and styles.
The exhibition has been developed with support from Next Big Thing, Barnsley Museums' youth group, which helped shape how visitors engage with the exhibition and its themes.
About the National Gallery Masterpiece Tour
The National Gallery Masterpiece Tour is a partnership between the National Gallery and museums and galleries across the country, designed to ensure more people can engage with the national collection and discover the stories behind some of the nation's greatest works of art.
Councillor Sam Burdett, Cabinet Spokesperson for Communities, said: "We're incredibly proud to welcome this remarkable work from the National Gallery to Barnsley. Opportunities like this allow us to bring internationally important art to local audiences and reinforce Barnsley's reputation as a place where culture is accessible to everyone."