Tate Britain has put on display a major donation of British Art by the prominent collectors and philanthropists Mercedes and Ian Stoutzker. The Stoutzker’s gift includes works by Jacob Epstein, David Hockney, Lucien Freud and Rachel Whiteread. “This extraordinarily generous and significant gift to the Tate enhances one of the finest collections of British art in the world.
Mercedes was born in Tangier, Morocco and came to London in 1958 when she married Ian Stoutzker, a trained musician who later became a banker. She loved art and in London she had the opportunity to study and expand her knowledge and taste. She wanted to live with art and, on a very limited budget, she found that there were works by outstanding British artists which were affordable at that time. Over the years she continued to acquire works mainly by British artists and often at an early stage in their careers. Both she and Ian believe that art has an emotional dimension and that this experience should be shared by being made available in National Museums and Art Galleries.
The couple has over a long period of time supported the arts in Great Britain. Ian founded Live Music Now with Yehudi Menuhin in 1977 and has overseen its growth to become a leading outreach organisation across the UK. His most recent, of many gifts, was in 2011 to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama for the new concert hall, which is named after his Welsh mother, a music teacher who came from the mining town of Tredegar.
The group of donated works of British art include:
Hurvin Anderson, Maracus 111 2004, 1600x2430mm
Peter Doig, Untitled (snow scene) 2001-02, 1850x1980mm
Jacob Epstein, Lucian Freud 1947
Lucian Freud, Girl in a Striped dress, or Celia 1983-85, 315×256 mm
David Hockney, Savings and Loan Building 1966, 1830x1220mm
RB Kitaj, Synchromy with FB General of Hot Desire 1968-69, each panel 1524x915mm
George Shaw, Ash Wednesday 2004-05, 910x1210mm
Conrad Shawcross, Maquette for Continuum, 2004, 550x1340x1340mm
Rachel Whiteread, Maquette for Trafalgar Square Plinth 1999, 900x515x240mm (edition of 15)
The Stoutzkers are based in Salzburg, Austria where they have lived for some years.