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London Art Week, the city-wide festival which begins this Friday, brings together some of the most exciting classic art exhibitions taking place in the capital.
It’s primarily a fine arts selling event, but don’t let that put you off: everyone is invited to visit the 35 exhibitions on Nordic art, women artists, old masters, landscapes and more, as well as the many live talks and roundtables.
See drawings, paintings and sculptures from antiquity to the modern day, and, for those who can’t make it to London, there will also be online presentations by international galleries and auction houses. Essentially, LAW is a must for classic art lovers – and this year’s art week has a special focus on the medium of works on paper.
With so much to do and see, here we pick some of the best exhibitions and events not to miss.
On Monday July 1 late night viewing will take place at lots of the participating galleries
Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri)
Guercino, The Head of a Bearded Soldier in a Plumed Helmet, c 1620s
Courtesy of the artist and Stephen Ongpin Fine Art
Italian Baroque painter Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, aka Guercino, is know for his luminous depictions of biblical scenes and landscapes. This fascinating exhibtion, five years in the making, is the first time that a commercial gallery has dedicated an entire show to his works on paper.
Fruit of Friendship: portraits by Mary Beale
Head to the Pall Mall studio of English writer and portrait painter Mary Beale, one of Britain’s most prominent women artists, to see a retrospective of her gorgeous works in the place where she carved out her unique career.
British Women Artists 1750-1950
Laura Knight, No 1 Dressing Room
Courtesy of the artist and Karen Taylor Fine Art
Coinciding with Tate Britain’s landmark Now You See Us: Women Artists in Britain exhibition, this illuminating show, a selection of works on paper, includes landscapes from Amelia Long, botanical and scientific works from Augusta Withers and Matilda Hayes, portraits from Penelope Cawardine, Anna Tonelli and Laura Knight and political works, such as a drawing of Sylvia Pankhurst by Maria Cowell.
“British women artists have begun to enjoy once again the recognition they were accorded by their contemporaries,” says Taylor.
Mary & the Women She Inspired
Mary Magdalene
Courtesy of the artist and Sam Foggg
This thought-provoking survey explores the intertwining stories of the Bible’s Marys (there are at least six). In doing so it asks questions about biblical narratives, identity and representation and the power of images – while also presenting some excellent sculptures and paintings.
Samuel John Lamorna Birch, (1869-1955), Coverack, Cornwall
David Messum Fine Art Ltd
It’s true that the French are most associated with Impressionism, its artists the originators of the movement. But innovative late 19th and early 20th century British artists, inspired by their counterparts across the channel, made their own stunning Impressionist work, developing their own unique techniques. Here David Messum Fine Art presents the 50th edition of their annual British Impressionist exhibition.
Curated by drawing platform Trois Crayons, this show brings together 150 drawings from celebrated artists from across art history, including Thomas Gainsborough, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin and Andy Warhol.
Six Lives, The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens: Curators’ Talk
Anne Boleyn by an unknown English artist, late 16th century
National Portrait Gallery
This National Portrait Gallery survey explores the lasting cultural impact of Henry VIII’s six wives. This talk featuring curator Charlotte Bolland, consultant Emma Rutherford and gallerist Mark Weiss will delve into their astonishing lives.
Helaine Blumenfeld OBE: Together: Open-Air Tours
Together, 2024, bronze, 3 parts, Hignell Blumenfeld
Jack Hobhouse
Thanks to the blazing sunshine, there’s really never been a better time to head to St James’s Square gardens to see this open air exhibition featuring nine of American sculptor Helaine Blumenfeld new works. And happily, during London Art Week, Hignell Gallery will be hosting free tours twice daily.
The Great War – Britain’s Efforts and Ideals: Gallery Talk
IWM and Abbott and Holder’s collaborative exhibition The Great War: Britain’s Efforts and Ideals, presents original First World War prints that were commissioned from 18 artists in 1917. In this gallery talk, Imperial War Museum curator Claire Brenard, All Souls Emeritus Fellow Professor Sir Hew Strachan and Tom Edwards, owner and MD of Abbott and Holder will sit down to discuss the remarkable works, on sale for the first time in more than 100 years.
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