WHEN the refurbished Burrell Collection opens its doors in Glasgow this week, what will you make a beeline for?
There is no shortage of fascinating pieces to peruse, from exquisite stained glass and intricate tapestries to impressive sculptures, paintings, ceramics and armour.
Shipping magnate Sir William Burrell – dubbed the "millionaire magpie" – amassed one of the world's greatest personal art collections, comprising almost 9,000 objects and spanning 6,000 years of history.
The newly revamped museum will see some rare treasures make their much-anticipated public debut, with a clutch of items going on display for the first time in a generation. Here's our pick of 10 not-to-be-missed exhibits to look out for when you visit.
Wagner Garden Carpet
One of the three earliest surviving Persian garden carpets in the world, this remarkable piece is well worth seeing in the flesh – so to speak – in order to observe the meticulous detail up close.
Made from wool and cotton with silk wefts, the Wagner Garden Carpet was produced during the Safavid period in 17th-century Kirman, a carpet-making city in south-eastern Iran.
Inspired by "the pre-Islamic Persian Paradise and the descriptions of the Garden of Heaven in the Qur'an", the design is said to be unique and no other examples resembling it or using part of its base-pattern have been identified.
According to the catalogue description: "Water channels divide the walled garden and meet at a central pool. On the banks of the waterways, trees, bushes and shrubs blossom and bloom all at the same time and animals, birds of all types, multi-coloured butterflies and moths inhabit the garden.
"Fish and ducks populate the waterways; shimmering waters are cunningly illustrated by the drawing of a lattice pattern with varied thicknesses of line and colour."
The carpet – named after a previous owner – was purchased by Sir William Burrell from the Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh in 1939 and bedecked his drawing room at Hutton Castle near Berwick-upon-Tweed. He donated it to the City of Glasgow with his collection in 1944.
Its vast size – measuring 5.3m x 4.3m (17ft x 14ft) – coupled with previous restrictions on overseas lending, has meant that the carpet has rarely been on display and has spent most of its time in storage. It was last on show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York four years ago.
When the Burrell Collection reopens, the Wagner Garden Carpet will be accompanied by a new digital interpretation that features a five-metre-high projection and 3D animation that makes the carpet appear to spring to life and bloom, highlighting minute detail of its complex design.
Portrait of Mrs Burrell
This striking painting by George Henry of the Glasgow Boys fame will go on show as part of efforts to tell the stories of the female members of the Burrell family who, until now, have remained largely in Sir William Burrell's shadow.
The portrait's subject is Isabella Burrell, credited with igniting her son's interest in collecting. A keen collector herself, she often accompanied him on overseas buying trips and lent items to the 1901 International Exhibition in Glasgow, including tapestries and a 15th-century Spanish coffer.
Silver inkwell
Human stories help bring the exhibits to life and this one highlights the important role that the Burrells' staff at Hutton Castle played in keeping the collection in good order, from cleaning and protecting objects to documenting every purchase and acquisition.
Ethel Todd Shiel was private secretary to Sir William Burrell in the 1930s. As a wedding present, he gave her a silver inkwell which she treasured dearly. It was an apt nod to her time working for him when Sir William's dislike of a noisy typewriter saw her write all correspondence by hand.
After her death, Ethel's son Robert Shiel gifted the item to Glasgow Life Museums for the Burrell Collection. This marks the first time that the inkwell will go on show.
Anne Boleyn's decorative valances
When it comes to star power, the Tudor period is a sure-fire draw and few stories arouse interest quite like that of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.
Not many personal items that belonged to Boleyn, who was executed in 1536, have survived the centuries which makes this tale of two valances – decorative panels attached to the frame or canopy of a bed – all the more intriguing.
Dating from around 1532-36, the pieces are made from light cream silk satin with an arabesque design in black silk velvet applique that incorporates the cypher "HA" for Henry and Anne, alongside their personal motifs of acorns and honeysuckles.
The valances have not been displayed in Glasgow for more than 20 years. Sir William Burrell purchased them for £300 from a London dealer in 1933, as part of a collection of Tudor textiles from Kimberley Hall, Norfolk.
It is thought he bought them to adorn a bed at Hutton Castle and had the valances sewn together, which is how they remained until a few years ago.
L'Implorante by Camille Claudel
In December, the Burrell Collection became the first public UK collection to acquire a work by the sculptor Camille Claudel. L'Implorante (The Implorer) is described as "a touching, powerful and rare example of Claudel at her most vulnerable".
The bronze marked the museum's first acquisition in 10 years and is the first sculpture by a woman in the collection.
It is arguably a fitting choice: Claudel was no stranger to pushing boundaries. She carved a path as a sculptor at a time when it was difficult for women to do so, becoming a key role model for female artists at the turn of the 20th century.
Claudel was a contemporary and close collaborator of Auguste Rodin, whose work The Thinker is synonymous with the Burrell Collection.
L'Implorante is not yet on show. It will initially be part of the inaugural exhibition at the museum, due to open late summer 2022, exploring the legacy of Sir William Burrell.
Glass epergne
Around 410 pieces of English table glass were acquired by Sir William Burrell and his wife Constance, Lady Burrell for the collection which, dating from 1680-1760, includes wine goblets, cordial glasses, tumblers, candlesticks and sweetmeat dishes.
Set to go on display is an 18th-century epergne which has recently undergone painstaking conservation work to repair damage to the fragile glass.
The epergne – which at first glance could be mistaken for an elaborate candelabra – has two tiers, each with four serpentine glass arms, holding hanging glass baskets.
Used as a luxurious and dramatic centrepiece during the dessert courses at dinner, treats such as sweetmeats, candied fruits and sugared nuts would have been arranged within the baskets, allowing guests to help themselves.
Pollaxe
The Burrells collected arms and armour, including swords, daggers and lances. This fearsome pollaxe, dating from circa 1480, is a fine example of a weapon that was often wielded on battlefields across Europe.
Gallant knights would have used it to demonstrate their single combat skills. The pollaxe forms part of a display that looks at chivalric posturing and organised violence.
Stained-glass roundel
Sir William Burrell took great pride in curating his world-renowned stained-glass collection. At Hutton Castle, it filled every available window, from the dining room, drawing room and hall, to the pantries, lavatories and corridors.
Set to go on show for the first time in decades, this is a piece described as a "rare and amusing English roundel from the mid-1300s". It depicts a scowling organ player whose bad-tempered expression seemingly conveys the difficulty of his task.
The Burrell Collection contains some 800 pieces of stained glass, ranging from church windows to heraldic panels and roundels such as this one.
Tea caddy
Chinese art was another area of huge interest to Sir William Burrell and he gathered one of the most significant collections in Europe.
A delicate stoneware tea caddy with a wooden lid, dating from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), is among the must-see objects that will be displayed in the museum.
Used to store powdered green tea, the receptacle was likely owned by a tea master – a comparable expertise to a sommelier's knowledge on wine.
Silver miniatures
A dozen silver miniatures, measuring barely 7cm (2.8in), are Lilliputian versions of stylish 18th-century tableware and domestic utensils, such as a kettle, candlestick, coffee pot and tankard. Small-but-perfectly formed, they were most likely used as a trinket or toy to furnish dolls houses.
It marks the first time that the silver miniatures have been shown in recent times. They can be found on the lower ground floor beside the new Stores Experience where visitors will be able to learn more about life behind the scenes in a working museum store.
The Burrell Collection at Pollok Country Park, Glasgow, reopens on Tuesday. Visit burrellcollection.com
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