Camden New Journal - News: Boswell’s Heath goes home

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Camden New Journal - by DAN CARRIER
Published: 15 November 2007

Curator Carol Seigel with her new Boswells

Boswell’s Heath goes home

A SET of paintings and illustrations of Hampstead Heath by a leading British artist have will be on permanent display to view free of charge – thanks to an article in the New Journal.
James Boswell, who made his name as an illustrator, had become known in the 1930s for his politically inspired work, and was the subject of a major retrospective covered by our newspaper earlier this year.
This prompted the Hampstead Museum, based at Burgh House, New End, to approach exhibition hosts the Chambers Gallery to see if they could buy them.
Curator Carol Seigel said: “I read the article in the CNJ and and went to see the exhibition. It occurred to me then that they would be really
suitable for our museum.”
However, the museum had a problem – the asking price was out of their range.
Mrs Siegel added: “His widow, Ruth Boswell, heard we were interested and was really happy with the idea of them finding a home at Burgh House.
“She very kindly reduced the price.”
While they were discussing the sale, Mrs Boswell also offered three other illustrations of the Highgate ponds, to
augment the new collection. They will be shown alongside the paintings in the gallery extension at the New End Queen Anne building.
Boswell produced a series of lithographs of working-class life in Camden Town and contributed political sketches to the Daily Mirror, the Daily Worker and the Left Review. He also served in Iraq during World War Two – and used his time in the desert to produce a series of poignant,
anti-war pieces.
But in the 1950s Boswell returned to
painting – and it was from this rediscovery of his love of paints that came the Heath works.
He moved to Parliament Hill in 1940 and, according to his daughter Sal Shuel, he was drawn to the Heath.
The Museum used funds from a trust established by Hampstead historian Christopher Wade to pay for the purchases. Ms Seigel added: “We are immensely grateful to Christopher for his help securing these works.”

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