French art historian helps Wirral Grammar pupils interpret French Impressionist paintings at Port Sunlight’s Lady Lever Art Gallery

Mar 11 2009 by Lorna Hughes, Bromborough and Bebington News

A FRENCH art historian has been helping students from Wirral Grammar School make their mark on an exhibition at Port Sunlight’s Lady Lever Art Gallery.

The group of 18 from the Bebington school worked with Catherine Marcangeli, an art history lecturer at the University of Paris, on a visit to the French Impressionists exhibition at the gallery.

The visit was part of a project which sees the students creating their own illustrative labels to go alongside each of the collection’s 13 paintings and sculptures.

Labels will be placed next to each piece in the collection – which includes works by Renoir, Monet and Degas - for visitors to read.

Nine of the A-level students are studying French, while the other nine are studying Art.

They were paired up to record their own interpretations and opinions of the collection, which will be written in French and translated into English underneath.

Lady Lever Art Gallery learning officer Lauren Gould said: “The day went really well and Catherine was fabulous. She is a very busy person so it was a real coup to get her to the Lady Lever to work with the students.

“Catherine brought the exhibitions to life and was very engaging. She spent three hours with the students and was extremely interested in their thoughts and interpretations.

“When the students have finished the labels we will send them to Catherine to check the French is perfect.

“We will invite her back to see the excellent work she helped to produce.”