THE collecting zeal of soap king William Hesketh Lever is examined in a new permanent exhibition at the Wirral art gallery he founded.

Lever the Collector takes the visitor into the world of the hugely successful industrialist who spent vast amounts of money buying artworks for himself and the nation.

There are 260 exhibits in the exhibition at the Lady Lever art gallery, in Port Sunlight.

They range from William Powell Frith’s famous painting The New Frock to Wedgwood, to embroideries, Chinese ceramics, works on paper, furniture and portrait miniatures.

Over his lifetime, the 1st Viscount Leverhulme (1851-1925) amassed a total of 20,000 artworks. Many filled his numerous homes and the best – comprising more than 12,000 items ranging from ceramics and sculptures to furniture and paintings – later formed the collections in the Lady Lever art gallery.

The new exhibition is in five sections: Introduction, Soap Pictures, Lever’s Collections, Private Palaces, and Creating the Lady Lever Art Gallery.

Lever originally started to collect art when he used popular paintings of the day such as The New Frock to advertise his products, chiefly Sunlight soap.

After initially collecting contemporary works, he expanded his collecting to buy historic examples of British art such as 18th-century portraiture, Wedgwood and furniture. He also acquired some foreign and classical works to show their influence on one of his favourite subjects, 18th-century country house decoration.

He was inspired by American business tycoons, who put together great art collections and then built public museums to display them.

Sandra Penketh, head of the Lady Lever, said: “These collections are amazing and of international status – particularly the Wedgwood jasperware, Victorian paintings and English 18th-century furniture.

“Lever the Collector tells visitors the fascinating story of Lord Leverhulme as an art lover. We also look at the personality of this remarkable man who had boundless energy and incredible self-discipline.”

LADY Lever Art Gallery is open every day from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free.

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