The best art exhibitions to visit this February

EXHIBITIONS OPENING FEBRUARY 2014:

Thea Porter: 70s Bohemian Chic Thea Porter (1927-2000) pioneered bohemian chic in the 60s and 70s, and she dressed a constellation of stars, including Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Streisand and the Beatles. This exhibition showcases both the outfits, and fashion photography from Vogue and Harpers Bazaar. 6 February - 3 May Fashion and Textiles Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF 02074078664

EXHIBITIONS CLOSING SOON:

The Elemental North This exhibition features the contrasting works of Jake Attree and David Blackburn. Attree’s work focuses on muted studies of his native York, while Blackburn’s vibrant abstract images provide an ideal counterpoint. 15 Jan 2015 - 7 Feb 2015 Messum’s, 8 Cork Street, London W1S 3LJ (0)20 7437 5545

A Thorn in My Flesh, Virginia Chihota Chihota represented Zimbabwe in the 55^th Venice Biennale in 2013, and in the same year won the Prix Canson, an award to recognise an emerging international artist who works with paper. This is her first solo European exhibition, displaying a number of her new prints, monoprints and drawings. Until 7 February Tiwani Contemporary, 16 Little Portland Street, London, W1W 8BP 02076313808

A Portland Preview This exhibition provides a taster of what is to come this year in the Portland Gallery. It features the work of artists who are due to have a solo show later in the year, giving you an artistic preview to the year ahead. 26 January – 6 February Portland Gallery, 8 Bennet Street, London SW1A 1RP 0207 493 1888

Fatal Consequences: The Chapman Brothers & Goya’s Disasters of War Showcasing a series of remarkable prints, the exhibition depicts the tumult of war and the genesis of life through the artistic interpretations of both Francisco Goya and the Chapman Brothers. This is the first time these two extraordinary print collections have been brought together. Until 8 February 2015 Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RB +44 (0)122 333 2900

Castiglione: Lost Genius An exhibition of 98 drawings and prints that aims to reinstate Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (1609-1664) in his rightful place as one of the greatest artists of the Baroque. The Royal Collection owns the largest and finest group of the artist’s work and this is the first time an exhibition dedicated to Castiglione has been shown in Scotland. His large drawings in oil directly onto paper were exceptional for their time. He was also one of Italy’s most significant printmakers, inventing the technique of monotype, a strikingly modern hybrid of drawing, painting and printmaking that was reinvented by Degas, Gauguin and others 200 years later. 17 November - 8 February 2015 The Queen’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh 0131 556 5100

Alibis: Sigmar Polke 1963-2010 Retrospective of the experimental artist, of Silesian origin, who grew up in Soviet-occupied East Germany and then West Germany. The show brings together his broad range of media, from painting, drawing, photography, film and sculpture to slide projections and photocopies. Polke (1941-2010) worked in off-the-wall materials, such as meteor dust, gold, bubble wrap, snail juice, potatoes, soot and even uranium, his relentlessly inventive works ranging in size from the intimacy of a notebook to monumental paintings. His art responded to 1960s consumer society, his interest in travel, drugs and communal living in the 1970s, and his increasingly experimental practice after 1980. 9 October - 8 February 2015 Tate Modern, Level 2, Bankside, London SE1 9TG

High Spirits: The Comic Art of Thomas Rowlandson Drawn from the Royal Collection, this exhibition features the portly squires and young dandies, Jane Austenesque heroines and their gruesome chaperones, dashing young officers and corrupt politicians that were the daily subject matter of the leading caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson (1757-1827). First shown in The Queen’s Gallery in Edinburgh, and moving to The Queen’s Gallery in London in 2015, the present showing will include a specially selected group of prints inspired by life in Bath: the complete series of 12 Comforts of Bath and the 1810 satire Bath Races. Until 8 February 2015 The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DB 01225 388547

A Russian Fairytale: The Art and Craft of Elena Polenova A leading figure in the Russian craft revival of the 1880s, the Watts Gallery has curated a selection of her works to be displayed including paintings, furniture, fairytale paper illustration and other medias. Until 8 February 2015 Watts Gallery, Down Lane, Compton, Guildford, Surrey, GU3 1DQ +44(0) 1483 810 235

Transmitting Andy Warhol: Tate Liverpool This is the first solo exhibition of Andy Warhol’s work in the north of England. This exhibition includes the famous Marilyn Diptych, Dance Diagram and Do-it-yourself paintings alongside the spectacular Exploding Plastic Inevitable, his famous “total art” environment. 7 November 2014 – 8 February 2015 Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock, Liverpool Waterfront, L3 4BB +44 (0)15 1702 7400

Mapping the City This is the first exhibition in Somerset House’s New Wing, in the ex Inland Revenue Building. It unites street art with cartography to create a new way of viewing the city. This is a must for anyone who’s fascinated by maps, and the way they reveal the landscape. Until 15 February New Wing, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA 020 7845 4600

Maggie Hambling, Walls of Water One of Britain’s most significant and controversial painters and sculptors, Maggi Hambling, exhibits a new series of dramatic paintings, which have never been seen in public before. Inspired by Hambling’s experience of gigantic waves crashing onto the sea wall at Southwold, Suffolk - the county where she was born, still lives and which has often inspired her work - the works offer visitors a contemporary parallel to the seascapes by Norwegian artist Peder Balke concurrently displayed in the Sunley Room. 26 November 2014 – 15 February 2015 The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN 020 7747 2885

Samuel William Fores, Satirist: Caricatures from the Reform Club An exhibition of works spanning 1786-1830 by the leading 18^th century satirical printseller S W Forbes, whose prints encompassed the social and political attitudes of his day. He commissioned the great satirical artists such as James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson and George and Isaac Cruikshank, and his clients included Wellington, Nelson and the future King of France. Until 15 February Gainsborough’s House, 46 Gainsborough Street, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2EU 01787 372958

No Foreign Land Focusing on twentieth-century landscape painting, the exhibition explores the impact of travel on prolific Scottish artists. Documenting beautiful scenes from France to Egypt, this remarkable collection presents a detailed geographical context to the works of artists from Peploe to the Glasgow boys. Until 14 February 2015 Flemming Collection, 13 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8DU (+44)20 7042 5730

Fleece to Fibre The Flemming collection hosts a exhibition exploring the creation of the Large Tree Group Tapestry, a collaborative artwork that serves as a tribute to Victoria Crowe’s renowned painting of the same name. Handmade by the Dovecot Studios’ Master Weavers, the tapestry is a remarkable art piece, woven using only undyed wool from a wide range of sheep breeds. Until 14 February 2015 The Fleming Collection 13 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8DU +44 (0)20 7042 5730

Fair Faces, Dark Places: Prints and Drawings by William Strang (1859-1921) A selection of over 30 works on paper by the Scottish artist, who produced one of the most innovative and varied bodies of original etched work by any Scottish artist of the period. With fellow Scots D Y Cameron, Murihead Bone and James McBey (collectively known as ‘the Big Four’), he was instrumental in stimulating an international revial of original printmaking during the late 19^th century and early 20^th century. His subjects range from realist social scenes such as Despair (1889) to the truly fantastical, such as Grotesque (1897). He also illustrated many books and periodicals and his own Scots dialect ballads. 18 October - 15 February Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL 0131 624 6200

Collecting History: The Founders of the Wallace Collection The history of the Wallace Collection and its founders through material from the Hertford House Historic Collection and Wallace Collection archives. Includes prints, engravings, photographs, inventories, much of which has never before been shown publically. The exhibition examines how from the mid 18^th century, four generations of the Seymour-Conway family, Marquesses of Hertford, and Sir Richard Wallace, built up a spectacular collection, with objects on show illustrating their choices, and a gallery trail through the museum. Until 15 February 2015 The Wallace Collection, Manchester Square, London

Conscience and Conflict: British Artists and the Spanish Civil War This exhibition includes works by Henry Moore, Edward Burra, Wyndham Lewis, Fe McWilliam Merlyn Evans and John Armstrong , amongst other artists. The exhibition will examine British artists’ responses to the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), one of the most noteworthy and momentous European conflicts of the twentieth century. See review in Country Life (14 January 2015) 8 November 2014 - 15 February 2015 Pallant House Gallery, 9 North Pallant, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1TJ 44 (01243 774557)

Charles Stewart: Black and White Gothic This winter the Royal Academy of Arts will present a display of dark and dramatic drawings by the illustrator Charles Stewart (1915–2001). Charles Stewart: Black and White Gothic comprises a survey of almost forty years work in which he produced a set of meticulously executed illustrations to accompany the Victorian Gothic novel ‘Uncle Silas’ (1864). 20 December 2014 - 15 February 2015 Tennant Gallery, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD 020 7300 8000

Victoria Crowe: Winter Sequence Victoria drew inspiration from the natural world to create these artworks which explore the effect of light on the landscape. It features monoprints and ink drawings, collages and paintings, to evoke the mists and sudden sunlight of Winter. If you’re in London and are missing frosty morning walks, this is the next best thing. Until 13 February Browse & Darby, 19 Cork Street, London W1S 3LP 020 7734 7984

Seven from the Seventies Seven from the Seventies brings together the work of seven influential abstract painters from the decade. These big, bright images light up the room and are an ideal way to inject some colour into a dull January day. Until 21 February Flowers Gallery, 82 Kingsland Road London E2 8DP 0207 920 7777

Paul Richards: The Oxford Drawings This show displays the ink drawings Richards has created in his new studio in Oxford; through psychologically charged images of human figures, animals and birds, Richards delves into the essential nature of being. 15 January - 21 February Connaught Brown, 2 Albermarle Street, London, W1S 4HD 020 7408 0362

The Scottish Show The Scottish Show is an opportunity to see some of the best established Scottish artists and witness the launch of a selection of those up and coming young painters discovered during the previous year north of the border. Now the leading showcase for Scottish art in London, it’s a more cultural way to spend Burns night than drinking whisky! 27 January – 20 February Panter and Hall, 11-12 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5LU 020 7399 9999

William Gear: Centenary Exhibition of Works on Paper 1947-1996 This exhibition displays 48 of the hundreds of works that Gear produced during his lifetime, to celebrate the centenary of his birth. His abstract style is characterized by bright colours and decisive brush strokes. 1 February – 21 February The Fosse Gallery, The Manor House, The Square, Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire GL54 1AF 01451 831319

Cairo to Constantinople: Early Photographs of the Middle East In 1862, Francis Bedford, the royal photographer, accompanied the 20-year-old Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) on an educational tour of the Middle East. This exhibition displays Bedford’s photos of Egypt, Palestine and the Holy Land, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Greece. The photos are accompanied by objects collected on their travels. A fascinating insight into a region which was, even then, fraught with conflicting ambitions. Until 22 February The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA 020 7766 7301

Gold Gold hosts a selection of 50 objects from the Royal Collection, charting humanities’ obsession with the element from the Early Bronze Age to the 20^th century. From an Ecuadorian crown, to a jewel-encrusted tiger’s head from the throne of the ruler of Mysore in India, this exhibition will bring out the magpie in everyone. Until 22 February The Queen’s Gallery. Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA 020 7766 7301

 New Forest: Ponds, Puddles and Paths Pete Gilbert’s bright and bold paintings, explore the hidden corners of the New Forest. These interpretations of the landscape are accompanied by Hugh Lohan’s evocative photography of the forest and its inhabitants. Until 28 February St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery, Lymington, Hampshire 01590676969

The Sensory War 1914-2014 This major group exhibition marking the Centenary of the First World War explores how artists have communicated the impact of military conflict on the body, mind, environment and human senses between 1914 and the present day. The show examines how artists from 1914 onwards depicted the devastating impact of new military technologies utilised in a century of conflict beginning with the First World War. It brings together work from a range of leading artists including Henry Lamb, CRW Nevinson, Paul Nash, Otto Dix, Nancy Spero, Richard Mosse, Omer Fast and features works by the hibakusha; survivors of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima which were created in the 1970s and are being shown in the UK for the first time. 11 October - 22 February 2015 Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3JL 0161 235 8888

Refiguring the 50s For the first time the work of Joan Eardley, Sheila Fell, Eva Frankfurther, Josef Herman and L S Lowry has been brought together to celebrate the great painters operating in Britain during the 1950s. Capturing the essence of British life in their respective residences, works include Glasgow, Cumbria, London’s East End, South Wales and Manchester. Until 22 February 2015 Ben Uri Gallery, 108a Boundary Road, off Abbey Road, St John’s Wood, London NW8 0RH +44 (0) 207 604 3991

Town and Country This exhibition of works by artist and illustrator Emily Sutton features original and intricate paintings and screen-prints and a flock of beautifully embroidered birds. Sutton’s paintings take inspirations from the historic buildings and follies at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, along with her recent travels in Europe. 15 November to 22 February 2015 Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG 01924 832515

In the Shadows of War & Lee Miller’s War Running in tandem, these two exhibitions have been collated in preparation for the 70^th anniversary of the end of World War II. The former explores the context of several post war artists depicting the conflicts and trauma suffered and the latter, showcases the work of the only woman in combat photojournalism in Europe during WWII. 29 November – 22 February 2015 Djanogly Gallery, Nottingham Lakeside Arts, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD +44 (0)115 846 7777

Through Different Eyes; ways of seeing landscape Paintings by Julian Bailey (glowing gouache landscapes); Daisy Cook (‘vibrant textured landscapes’); Luke Elwes (traveller, writer and painter whose works are made by running water over his drawings); Alex Lowery (who captures the essence of the Dorset coastline); David O’Connor (who trained as a sculpor and is fascinated by mapping, archaeology and the layers of time in landscape); and Alfred Stockham (who paints simple and strong compositions that convey a powerful atmosphere based on years of study and experimentation with colour). 6 December - 22 February 2015. Sladers Yard, West Bay, Bridport, Dorset DT6 4EL 01308 459511

Jeremy Gardiner: Jurassic Coast The Victoria Art Gallery in Bath hosts this exhibition featuring the celebrated Jurassic Coast seen through the eyes of landscape artist Jeremy Gardiner, who is well known for his unique portrayal of the British coastline. 17 January - 1 March 2015 The Victoria Art Gallery, Bridge Street , Bath BA2 4AT 01225 477233

Metal Detectorists The state of the art Wessex Gallery was unveiled in the summer of 2014, after renovations amounting to £2.4 million. The metal detectorists will feature work from members of the public over the last 30 years. Some of the objects on display are thought to be 2,000 years old and stretch back to the iron age. Until 28 February 2015 Wessex Gallery Salisbury Musem, The Kings House, 65 The Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2EN Tel: +44 (0)1722 332151 EXHIBITIONS CLOSING IN MARCH:

Drawn by Light: the Royal Photographic Society Collection Over 200 extraordinary images from the history of photography, including some of the earliest, drawn from the archives of the Royal Photographic Society, which holds one of the world’s most important photography collections. Pioneers including Lewis Carroll are displayed alongside modern photographers such as Don McCullin, Terry O’Neill and Martin Parr. Also images by the early war photographer Roger Fenton, who documented the Crimean War. And significant artefacts from the history of photography, such as Fox Talbot’s early camera. Until March 1, 2015 The Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD

Beauty and Revolution: The Poetry and Art of Ian Hamilton Finlay The exhibition traces Hamilton Finlay’s artistic development from the poems that make Britain’s most internationally acclaimed concrete poet to the images and texts that marked his engagement with the ideas of the French Revolution. It also presents his famous garden, Little Sparta, in photographs and film. The Scottish poet first met and began to correspond with Jim Ede, the creator of Kettle’s Yard, I 1964 and in the same year a group of Cambridge students started to exhibit and write about his work. Among them was Stephen Bann, who went on to become an expert on the artist and has devised this show from his private collection. 6 December to 1 March 2015 Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street, Cambridge CB3 OAQ 01223 748100

The Real Tudors: Kings and Queens Rediscovered This exhibition allows the audience a chance to see the most complete collection of the Tudor monarchs. The portraits are shows beside the subjects most prize possessions, providing the viewer with an unrivalled insight. Until 1 March 2015. National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, London WC2H 0HE 020 7306 0055

From the Forest to the Sea: Emily Carr in British Columbia Late Canadian artist Emily Carr’s work is exhibited at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, mapping her artistic evolution in threatening landscapes and representations of aboriginal settlements. The collection is comprised of over 140 works, a range of indigenous artefacts and an illustrated documentation of Carr’s travels up the West Coast of Canada. Until 8 March 2015. Dulwich picture Gallery, Gallery road, London SE21 7AD +44 (0)20 8693 5254

Love is Enough: Oxford This exhibiton brings together Andy Warhol’s work from public and private collections in the UK and USA. Including his iconic pieces, a selection of silkscreens and a signed photograph of Shirley Temple. This exhibition works alongside the work of William Morris, revealing many points of connectivity within their work. 6 December 2014 - 8 March 2015 Modern Art Oxford, 30 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP, +44 (0)1865 722 733

Love is Enough; William Morris and Andy Warhol, curated by Jeremy Deller Love is Enough will examine the prolific careers of these two figures, each of whom developed an artistic practice and a conceptual framework that helped to define the centuries in which they lived. The exhibition draws together works from public and private collections across the UK and the USA. They include the epic and rarely seen Holy Grail tapestries completed by Morris in 1896, a selection of Warhol’s iconic silkscreens and archival material from the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, including a signed photograph of Shirley Temple posted to a thirteen-year old Andy from the actress in 1941. 6 December 2014 - 8 March 2015 Modern Art Oxford, 30 Pembroke St, Oxford OX1 1BP 01865 722 733

Mr Turner- An Exhibition Turner’s fishing rod, fob watch and travel painting kit are among the ephemera on show in the display, hosted at Petworth, the home of his patron, the 3^rd Earl of Egremont. The exhibition integrates the location with the story of how Mike Leigh made the film, Mr Turner. The tour culminates with the four Turner landscapes inset into the panelling of the Carved Room. Until 11 March Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0AE 01798 342207

Breon O’Casey: Sculpture, Painting and Collage The first show of his work since his death in 2011, this exhibition looks back over his extraordinary career, as part of St Ives generation. His work ranged from textiles, to sculpture to painting, and this selling exhibition features a variety of these medias. The son of the Irish playwright Sean O’Casey, his Celtic roots permeated his aesthetic as he came to artistic maturity in St Ives, where he was apprenticed to Barbara Hepworth and Denis Mitchell. He had a passion for art and craftsmanship and was taught metalwork at Dartington Hall School in Devon by Naum Slutsky, previously head of metalwork at the Bauhaus. His life and background gave him myriad influences, from Modigliani to Ben Nicholson to ancient Cycladic sculpture. His stunning visual language oscillates between figuration and abstraction. 28 January – 14 March 2015 Pangolin London, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG 020 7520 1480

Mr Turner’s Prints Turner was not only a prolific painter, but also dedicated much of his career to the creation of prints of his work. This exhibition houses 50 of these prints, including rare examples of his large prints. This is an excellent opportunity to purchase a copy of your own favourite Turner. Prices range from £2500 to £4000. Until 11 March Kevis House Gallery, Lombard Street, Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0AG 01798 215007

Boyle Family: Contemporary Archaeology Their artworks have been described as ‘contemporary explorations of the world’, presenting their own interpretation of the environment surrounding them. The highlight of the show are their facsimiles of the ground, taken from randomly chosen locations throughout the world, which create a landscape within the walls of the gallery. Until 14 March Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 5AL 01539 722464

Richard Skelton and Autumn Richardson, Memorius Earth: A Longitudinal Study This exhibition focuses on the artists’ Cumbrian projects and combines music, text, film, and objects. They reflect the natural history of the Cumbrian landscape, from the ‘post-glacial wasteland to the present day.’ Until 14 March Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 5AL 01539 722464

School Prints, Art for the 1940s Classroom This exhibition displays the prints commissioned to make contemporary art freely available in post-war schools. The images are colourful, featuring every day items which the children would have been familiar with, such as tractors, fairgrounds and town centres. Even Picasso, Matisse and Braque were persuaded to take part and produce artwork for the scheme. 17 January – 14 March Mascalls Gallery, Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6LT 01892 839039

Architects as Artists, Examines the relationship between architecture and art, how the ability to represent a building in 2d and communicate space has been fundamental to architects’ work since the Renaissance. Exhibits include work by Raphael to a project by contemporary Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld, and including designs for an artist’s house by E W Godwin, a Raphael drawing of the Pantheon in Rome, and drawings by Burges, A W Pugin, Waterhouse and the Russian architect Iakov Chernikhov. 15 November - 15 March 2015 V & A + RIBA Architecture Gallery, V & A, South Kensington, London

Conflict, Time, Photography The exhibition that was staged to coincide with the centenary of the First World War draws upon photographers who have looked at conflict and the passage of time. Focusing on reflection rather than photojournalism or war reporting, this is a very poignant collection. 26 November – 15 March 2015 Tate Modern, The Eyal Ofer Galleries, Level 3, Bankside, London, SE1 Tel: +44 (0) 207 887 8731

Marc An exhibition of caricatures, cartoons and cartoon strips by Mark Boxer. Until 22 March Cartoon Museum, 35 Little Russell Street, London WC1A 2HH

Image and Word: The Julian Francis Collection of Prints and Illustrated Books An exhibition of prints and illustrated books from the collection of Julian Francis, including works by Edward Ardizzone, Barnett Freedman, Lucian Freud, Eric Gill, Enid Marx, John and Paul Nash and Eric Ravilious, on display with a selection of material from the artists’ archives. Until 27 March Manchester Metropolitan University Special Collections Gallery, 3^rd Floor, Sir Kenneth Green Library, All Saints, Manchester M15 6BH 0161 247 6107

Arts and Crafts Metalwork This show focuses on the work of two blacksmiths, Bill Thornton and Charley Downer, who moved with the Guild of Handicraft from London’s East End to Chipping Campden in 1902. Alongside the fine silver and jewellery produced to Ashbee’s design in the workshops of the Old Silk Mill, they made a variety of fittings for furniture and buildings as well as domestic pieces, mainly in wrought iron, to be used on a daily basis. Until 29 March Court Barn Museum, Church Street, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, GL55 6JE 01386 841951

Last Post: Remembering the First World War This exhibition explores the effect of the events of 1914 on the Post Office, its people and the contribution of postal communications to the war effort. Coalbrookedale Gallery, Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire 10 April 2014 – 27 March 2015

Unseen Works from the Courtauld Collection that have not been seen in the last 20 years, often by fascinating lesser-known artists. Ranges across the centuries, from the Renaissance to the birth of Pop Art. On show in the new gallery space, the Gilbert and Ildiko Butler Drawings Gallery. Until 29 March Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN

EXHIBITIONS CLOSING IN APRIL:

The Sea: John Virtue The paintings are vast in scale and have a powerful presence, the black and white paint freely applied to the raw canvas surface with brushes, hands and rags. These beautiful images convey the constant motion of the sea and bring a breath of sea air into the gallery. 17 January – 12 April Towner, Devonshire Park, College Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4JJ 01323 434670

Renato Guttuso: Painter of Modern Life This is the first major exhibition in the UK for almost 20 years to focus on the career of Renato Guttuso (1911-1987). Guttuso is one of post-war Italy’s most widely respected painters whose powerful brand of expressionist realism vividly conveyed the angst of a generation. 14 January - 4 April Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, 39a Canonbury Square, London N1 2AN 020 7704 9522

Chantelle Joffe: Beside the Seaside Joffe's powerful portraits of women and children combine insight, integrity and wit. This exhibition will celebrate her strong connections with Hastings and St Leonards. Hastings beach, in particular, is featured in many of her paintings. 31 January- 12 April Jerwood Gallery, Rock-A-Nore Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3DW 01424 728377

Adventures of the Black Square: Abstract Art and Society 1915 – 2015 Bringing together over 100 artists from all over the world, the exhibition celebrates a century of Abstract art. A multimedia event, it features a diverse spectrum of paintings, sculptures, film and photographs. This is a must for any serious student or connoisseur of modern art. 15 January – 6 April Whitechapel Gallery, 77-78 Whitechapel High Street, London, E1 7QX 020 7522 7888

Women Fashion Power at The Design Museum Comprised of vintage clothing, photography and archive footage, the exhibition serves as a tribute to women’s fashion and its role in defining and enhancing their status in society. Dame Vivienne Westwood, Kirty Wark and Hoan Burstein CBE are amongst the high-profile fashion figures contributing to this collection. Until 26 April 2015 The Design Museum, Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD +44 (0)20 7940 8787

Tower Bridge: A Celebration of 120 Years, 1894 – 2014 Marking the 120^th anniversary of the opening of Tower Bridge, this exhibition brings together a collection of images and paintings of the bridge. With work from every decade of its history being displayed, the exhibition is also able to show the changing face of London through an iconic landmark. Until 26 April 2015 Guildhall Art Gallery and London’s Roman Amphitheatre, Guildhall Yard, London, EC2V 5AR +44(0) 207 332 3700

Alan Sorrell (1904-1974) An exhibition on the Southend artist, who painted in oils and watercolour, made murals, was a teacher and illustrator. Alan Sorrell had a particular interest in ancient history and was well known for his illustrations of reconstructions of ruined buildings. In association with Liss Fine Art, this exhibition brings together works from Southend’s collections and loans from private owners and features murals, sketches and local scenes from throughout Sorrell’s career. To mark the opening of the show, Liss Fine Art is offering for sale 52 newly released works from the artist’s estate. Until 4 April, 2015 Beecroft Art Gallery, Victoria Avenue, Southend on Sea, Essex SS2 6EX

Rubens and His Legacy: Van Dyck to Cezanne Great works by the Flemish master are shown alongside works by artists who were inspired by him, during his lifetime and up until the 20^th century, including Van Dyck, Watteau, Turner, Delacroix, Manet, Cezanne, Renoir, Klimt and Picasso. The exhibition has six themes encompassing Poetry, Elegance, Power, Lust, Compassion and Violence. See review in Country Life (21 January, 2015) Until 10 April Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD 020 7300 8027

EXHIBITIONS CLOSING IN MAY:

Peter Yates: Paintings 1939-1982 Peter Yates, while best known as an architect, was also an accomplished painter. Many of the paintings on display were inspired by the artist’s extensive travels around Europe, and his landscapes often focus on presenting the unique buildings associated with the places he visited, but always in his own modern style. Until 9 May Hatton Gallery, Kings Road, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU 0191 208 6059

Secular to Sacred: The Story of the Lacock Cup The fifteenth century Lacock Cup returns home to Wiltshire in this special exhibition. Shortly after the reformation it was given to the parish Church of St Cyriac in Lacock, where it remained for 400 years, until being bought by the British Museum in 2013. 31 January – 4 May Salisbury Museum, 65 The Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 2EN (0)1722 332151

Self: Image and Identity- self-portraiture from Van Dyck to Louise Bourgeois This exhibition celebrates the National Gallery’s acquisition of Van Dyck’s last self-portrait, with a collection of works from over 100 artists. Ranging from the astonishingly accurate, to figurative translations of their identity, this exhibition explores the ancient tradition of self-portraiture. 24 January – 12 May Turner Contemporary, Rendezvous, Margate, Kent CT9 1HG 01843 233 000

Sir Jacob Epstein: Babies and Bloomsbury, Although better known for his more public commissions, Epstein made many portraits of children. Epstein said, of it ‘To work from a child the sculptor has to have endless patience. He must wait and observe, and observe and wait.’ These touching works span his entire career, from his time in Bloomsbury next to the Foundling Hospital, to his portraits of his grandchildren. 30 January - 10 May 2015 The Foundling Museum, 40 Brunswick Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 1AZ 02078413600

The Two Roberts: Robert MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun The once celebrated work of prominent Scottish artists MacBryde and Colquhoun is revived in this major Edinburgh exhibition. From figure painting to bleak representations of Scottish life, the collection exposes the gritty realities of two uncompromising lives as the first major retrospective devoted to their work. Until May 2015. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 75 Belford Road, Edinburgh EH4 3DR +44 (0)131 6246200

Beauty by Design: Fashioning the Renaissance Designers, artists, curators and historians have been brought together by this project to re-examine the nature of body image and to challenge contemporary notions of beauty. Inspired by Renaissance paintings, the exhibition will see an amalgamation of these and contemporary design. Until 3 May 2015 Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JD Tel: +44 (0) 131 624 6200

The Modern Lens; International Photography and the Tate Collection Featuring more than 30 pioneering artists from across Europe, the Americas and Japan, this exhibition surveys the key developments in photography from the 1920s to the 1960s. The show presents many different strands of modernist art and explores its relationship to photography. 14 October - 10 May 2015 Tate St Ives, St Ives, Cornwall

EXHIBITIONS CLOSING LATER IN THE YEAR:

Small Stories: At Home in a Dolls' House This exhibition reveals the fascinating stories behind some of the UK's best-loved dolls' houses. The exhibition spans 300 years and features some of the UK's best-loved dolls' houses from country mansions to high rise apartments. 13 December 2014 - 6 September 2015 V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9PA (0)20 8983 5200

The Illustrated Aviary Over 70 works from a remarkable collection of rarely-seen 18^th and 19^th century bird illustrations amassed by Victorian naturalist Thomas Eyton, including engravings and hand-coloured lithographs by James John Audubon, Edward Lear and John Elizabeth Gould, complemented by a new large-scale installation from contemporary artist, Mister Finch. 31 January - 14 June Museums Sheffield: Millennium Gallery, Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PP 0114 278 2600

Empire Builders: 1750-1950 Drawings, watercolours, photographs and models from the RIBA’s unique collections, showing the contribution made by British architects working abroad in a variety of scales and styles. Talk on 26 February: ‘British Architecture in India’ Until 15 June RIBA, Room 128a Victoria and Albert Museum, Exhibition Road, London W7 2RL

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