Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales

This exhibition is a celebration of Derek Williams’s contribution to art in Wales.

Derek Williams (1929-1984) was an important collector of modern British art. A chartered surveyor who lived and worked in Cardiff, his passion for modern British art attracted him to the work of John Piper and Ceri Richards, whose works make up the majority of his collection.

These are supported with works by other major figures of mid-twentieth century British art such as Ben Nicholson, Henry Moore, L.S. Lowry, David Jones, Ivon Hitchens and Josef Herman.

Derek Williams enjoyed many pursuits including opera, photography and golf. He began purchasing art in the late 1950s.

He bought mainly from the Howard Roberts Gallery in Cardiff and the Marlborough Gallery in London. He gained immense satisfaction from building his collection and displaying it in his homes and in his business addresses in Cardiff.

The collection he built has been further enhanced with new acquisitions by the Derek Williams Trust. The whole collection is on long-term loan to Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales.

The Derek Williams Trust was established following the collector’s death. It is committed to the care, enhancement and public display of Derek Williams’s collection.

In addition the Trust provides generous support in furthering the acquisition of post-1900 works of art at Amgueddfa Cymru. This exhibition features highlights from the Derek Williams Trust collection and demonstrates their unique contribution to the visual arts in Wales.