Southampton City Council plans to dispose of "items classified as being of low significance" from its art collection, in addition to two major works identified as potential pieces for sale, to help fund a new Cultural Quarter in the city.
The painting After the Race by Sir Alfred Munnings and either Eve or Crouching Woman by sculptor Auguste Rodin are candidates for disposal following a curatorial review of the collection.
"The council estimates the value of After the Race to be between £2m and £4m, Eve between £1m and £1.5m and Crouching Woman between £300,000 and £400,000," said a council statement.
It added that the works "are supporting cast to the core strength of the collection: British modern and contemporary 20th- and 21st-century art".
Janet Owen, the council's arts and heritage manager, said other items "will be investigated [for possible disposal] including works of lesser artistic merit bequeathed or given to the collection in the past, such as portraits by minor artists of unknown and minor sitters; duplicates of prints and etchings held in the collection; and works in media outside the core collection purpose - for example, textiles". She added that these works would not necessarily be sold.
Proceeds from the sale of any artworks will go towards the £10m that the council says is needed for the first phase of the Cultural Quarter project.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which has granted £496,000 development funding towards a potential £4.5m application, also questioned the council's decision.
A spokeswoman said: "We would not normally expect the proceeds of the sale of heritage to be used to create partnership funding for a project. We are having ongoing discussions with Southampton City Council regarding this matter."
The council is adamant that its disposal proposal complies with the ethical guidelines set out by the Museums Association, including the requirement that any sales are "a last resort after other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored".
Owen emphasised that this "is not about greed but a realistic assessment of what options need to be considered if investment in the cultural sector is to be secured and sustained in the future".
No final decision on whether to dispose of works will be taken until late 2009.
The Cultural Quarter scheme comprises an arts complex including a contemporary art gallery, an outdoor performance space and a Titanic museum.
The painting After the Race by Sir Alfred Munnings and either Eve or Crouching Woman by sculptor Auguste Rodin are candidates for disposal following a curatorial review of the collection.
"The council estimates the value of After the Race to be between £2m and £4m, Eve between £1m and £1.5m and Crouching Woman between £300,000 and £400,000," said a council statement.
It added that the works "are supporting cast to the core strength of the collection: British modern and contemporary 20th- and 21st-century art".
Janet Owen, the council's arts and heritage manager, said other items "will be investigated [for possible disposal] including works of lesser artistic merit bequeathed or given to the collection in the past, such as portraits by minor artists of unknown and minor sitters; duplicates of prints and etchings held in the collection; and works in media outside the core collection purpose - for example, textiles". She added that these works would not necessarily be sold.
Proceeds from the sale of any artworks will go towards the £10m that the council says is needed for the first phase of the Cultural Quarter project.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which has granted £496,000 development funding towards a potential £4.5m application, also questioned the council's decision.
A spokeswoman said: "We would not normally expect the proceeds of the sale of heritage to be used to create partnership funding for a project. We are having ongoing discussions with Southampton City Council regarding this matter."
The council is adamant that its disposal proposal complies with the ethical guidelines set out by the Museums Association, including the requirement that any sales are "a last resort after other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored".
Owen emphasised that this "is not about greed but a realistic assessment of what options need to be considered if investment in the cultural sector is to be secured and sustained in the future".
No final decision on whether to dispose of works will be taken until late 2009.
The Cultural Quarter scheme comprises an arts complex including a contemporary art gallery, an outdoor performance space and a Titanic museum.
