Portraits of Vanessa Bell

16 Nov 2024-23 Feb 2025

Overview

To coincide with the opening of a major Vanessa Bell exhibition at Milton Keynes Gallery, we’re displaying 10 significant portraits of Vanessa Bell by her close friend and fellow artist Duncan Grant inside the house here at Charleston in Firle.

These rarely seen works, loaned from private collections and newly discovered in our archives, will be shown alongside our world-leading collection of paintings, furniture, and objects.

Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, shared a deep and complex relationship, both personally and artistically. These portraits capture the evolution of their bond—marked by affection, collaboration, and mutual influence—while showcasing the radical modernist practices that defined their work.

The exhibition spans nearly five decades of their shared creative journey, from a tender 1918 pencil drawing depicting Bell pregnant with their daughter, to Grant’s final portrait of her—a 1961 charcoal drawing completed just weeks before Bell’s death at Charleston. These works capture the shifting dynamics of their relationship, evolving from intimate affection to the profound respect and understanding that characterised their later years.

Tickets are limited. We highly recommend pre-booking to avoid disappointment.