Explore the House and Collection
Introduction to the Collection
Kettle’s Yard was the home of Jim and Helen Ede from 1957 to 1973. It contains their diverse collection of art, ceramics, textiles, furniture and natural objects.
Jim Ede often described himself as a ‘friend of artists’, and much of his collection was acquired through these friendships. During the 1920s, when working at the Tate gallery in London, he became close friends with artists including Ben and Winifred Nicholson, Christopher Wood and David Jones. Trips on official gallery business to Paris led to meetings with some of the key figures of the artistic avant-garde, including Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Joan Miró and Constantin Brancusi. In 1927 Jim purchased a substantial body of works by the French sculptor, Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, who had been killed in World War I. Soon after, Ben Nicholson and Christopher Wood introduced Jim to the work of St Ives fisherman-turned-painter Alfred Wallis.
Given the care devoted by Jim to the display of objects and artworks and to creating subtle conversations between them, since his departure the house has been preserved virtually unchanged. Today many consider it a work of art in its own right.
A Handful of Objects
The Kettle’s Yard collection includes modern art including paintings, drawings, sculpture and ceramics, alongside natural objects, furniture and textiles. Learn more about a selection of key artworks from the collection in this short introduction.
Virtual Tour
Discover the Kettle’s Yard house and collection from anywhere with our Virtual Tour. Use the tour to explore rooms in the house and learn more about key artworks and objects.
Featured Artists
Alfred Wallis
Barbara Hepworth
Christopher Wood
Ben Nicholson
Henri Gaudier-Brzeska
Winifred Nicholson
Bryan Pearce
Lucie Rie
Explore the Full Collection
Collection database
Search the collection database to find out more about the art and artists in the Kettle’s Yard collection.
ReCollection: Oral History Archive
Listen to Kettle’s Yard creator Jim Ede, artists, visitors and staff talk about Kettle’s Yard. Explore the clips by interviewee or theme and learn more about the history of the house, and hear key reflections from different people.
The Archive and Library
The archive at Kettle’s Yard contains Jim Ede’s personal papers, as well as letters from many artists including Helen Sutherland, Alfred Wallis and Ben Nicholson. The papers document the wide range of influences throughout Ede’s life, from his experience of World War I to the development of Kettle’s Yard and its collections.
The library space in the house is based upon Jim Ede’s collection of books and reflects his interests in art, poetry, religion, philosophy and other subjects. There are more recent additions to the art section.
Student Loan Scheme
Kettle’s Yard was originally conceived with students in mind. Jim kept ‘open house’ every afternoon of term, personally guiding visitors around his home. Ever since Kettle’s Yard was created, students have been borrowing works of art from the collection. Every year, we invite full time students at Anglia Ruskin and Cambridge University to borrow pictures, giving them a bit of Kettle’s Yard to take home with them.
The scheme runs each academic year. Keep an eye on our What’s On for the next date.
History of Kettle's Yard
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