Away from our contemporary exhibitions, we have a room dedicated to historic art at Cathays Gallery in Caerphilly.
The collection brings together paintings and works on paper from the 17th century through to the early 20th century. You’ll find portraits, religious paintings, British landscapes and European scenes, covering more than 300 years of art history.
Located directly opposite Caerphilly Castle, our gallery offers a chance to see these works together, each with its own history and character.
More Than 300 Years of Art Under One Roof
What makes the room particularly interesting isn’t simply the age of the works, but how different they are from one another.
The collection starts with 17th-century Baroque art before moving into British sporting and marine paintings. It also includes richly coloured European works from the late 19th century and paintings from the early 20th century.
Seeing these works together reveals how much art has changed over the centuries. Different techniques, subjects and styles sit side by side, making the room an interesting place to spend some time.
A few works are particularly worth looking out for.
The Good Samaritan c. 1700’s – Harmenszoon van Rijn (School of Rembrandt)
One of the most significant paintings in the room is The Good Samaritan, a 17th/18th-century oil painting from the School of Rembrandt.
The scene depicts the familiar biblical parable. A group of figures helps a wounded traveller down from a white horse outside an inn. Light falls across the central figures, while the surrounding architecture remains in shadow. This contrast immediately draws your attention to the action at the centre of the painting.
The composition closely follows Rembrandt’s 1633 etching of the same subject. It shows how his approach to storytelling continued to influence painters long after his lifetime.
The painting comes from a private French collection. At 81 × 98 cm, it’s also one of the larger works in our historic art room.
It’s a painting that rewards a closer look. From a distance, the dramatic lighting establishes the scene. Move closer, and you’ll begin to notice smaller figures, gestures and details emerging from the shadows.
Colour and Movement in 19th-Century European Art
Adolphe Monticelli, Silhouettes Élégantes en Train de Danser, c.1860–1880.
Moving into the late 19th century, we find something quite different.
Silhouettes Élégantes en Train de Danser, painted around 1860–1880 by French artist Adolphe Monticelli, offers a striking change in style.
Elegant figures emerge from a dark wooded setting, with flashes of red, ochre, white and deep violet. Instead of painting every detail precisely, Monticelli used thick layers of paint, rich glazes and energetic brushstrokes. The result is a painting full of colour and movement.
Up close, the textured surface becomes much more noticeable. Figures seem to appear and disappear among the shadows, depending on where you look.
Monticelli’s expressive use of colour helped connect Romanticism with Impressionism. His work also shows how European painting began moving towards a freer, more experimental approach.
A Room Designed for Historic Art
We’ve given the historic collection its own space within the gallery.
Deep navy walls provide a backdrop for the ornate gilt frames. Meanwhile, focused lighting brings out the colours, textures and smaller details in each work.
Some paintings have heavily textured surfaces, while others feature delicate brushwork and subtle changes in tone. Seeing them in person makes these differences much easier to appreciate.
We wanted the room to feel welcoming, whether you’re familiar with historic art or discovering it for the first time.
There’s no need to know the difference between Baroque, Romanticism or Impressionism. You can simply take your time, look around and see what catches your attention.
Historic Art for Sale in Caerphilly
The works in our historic art collection are available to purchase. You can also find information about each painting in the gallery.
Our collection includes works from the School of Rembrandt and the Circle of Ciro Ferri. We also have paintings attributed to or associated with artists such as Francesco Furini and Dean Wolstenholme the Elder.
Other artists represented include Adolphe Monticelli, Gabriel von Max and Albert Ferdinand Duprat.
As paintings sell and new works arrive, the collection will continue to change. So, even if you’ve visited before, you may find something new on your next visit.
