51做厙 Gallery unveils first exhibition devoted to Barbara Hepworth’s work with colour
- Uniting for the first time Barbara Hepworth’s radical painted sculptures from the 1940s
- On view in a London gallery for the first time since it was acquired for the nation last year following major 瞿3.8 million fundraising appeal 泭Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form), Pale Blue and Red泭(1943) a breakthrough sculpture in Hepworths career泭and泭recognised as a masterpiece of British abstract modernism.
The Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen Exhibition:泭Hepworth in Colour
12 June泭 6 September泭2026泭
Press images:泭泭
51做厙泭Gallery泭presents泭the first exhibition devoted to Barbara Hepworths lifelong fascination with colour,泭shedding light on an unexpected and unexplored aspect of the work of one of the most celebrated泭British泭artists of the 20th泭century.泭
Barbara Hepworth (19031975)泭is best known泭for her abstract泭sculptures泭inspired by nature and the rugged seaside landscapes of Cornwall,泭where she lived and worked泭from 1939.泭Hepworths泭practice is泭often characterised泭in terms of泭her泭commitment to泭direct carving泭and泭truth to泭materials.泭Little attention has been given to the importance of colour in her work.泭Discussing her泭innovative泭use of colour泭in 1970,泭she泭said:泭my colour has been泭accepted,泭but泭never understood.泭泭
Bringing together泭18泭sculptures and泭26泭drawings泭and paintings,泭The Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen Exhibition:泭Hepworth in泭Colour泭will be泭the first exhibition to focus on this important but泭often overlooked aspect of泭Hepworths泭work.泭泭泭
Hepworths early interest in泭painted泭colour泭dates to泭喧堯梗泭mid-1930s泭when she and her future husband, Ben Nicholson, formed part of the European avant-garde.泭In泭1939,泭just before泭outbreak of 喧堯梗泭Second泭World泭War,泭she泭left泭London for Cornwall泭with her three young children,泭taking泭with her泭a single sculpture 泭her泭very泭first study for a泭sculpture泭with colour.泭Over 喧堯梗泭following泭years, the landscape of Cornwall泭inspired泭Hepworth泭to develop this泭initial泭experiment,泭moving her泭work in new directions泭and泭establishing泭a lifelong fascination with colour.泭At the heart of the exhibition泭will be泭喧堯梗泭remarkable group of painted sculptures泭made泭between泭1940 and 1948.泭Hepworth泭later泭recalled泭how,泭I used泭colour泭and strings in many of泭the carvings of this time. The泭colour in the concavities泭plunged me into the depths of water,泭caves泭or shallows色.泭These泭early泭works泭include泭喧堯梗泭boldly painted泭stone泭carvings泭Eidos泭(1947-8)泭from the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne,泭Australia泭and泭Sculpture with Colour泭(Eos)泭(1946)泭from a private collection in Hong Kong. They泭are泭exhibited泭together泭in the UK泭for the first time泭since泭1954.泭泭
A major highlight of the exhibition will be the painted wood carving,泭Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form), Pale Blue and Red,泭of泭1943, which was acquired by The Hepworth Wakefield in 2025 following the successful national fundraising campaign in collaboration with Art Fund to raise 瞿3.8 million.泭Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form), Pale Blue and Red泭marked a breakthrough moment in Hepworths career, combining strings and colour and, for the first time, the beautiful pale blue, which she泭associated with the Cornish skies and coast. In private hands since it was created, and rarely泭exhibited, this will be the first time the sculpture is displayed in London since it was泭acquired泭for the nation.泭For Hepworth,泭the strings in her early sculptures泭were the tension I felt between myself and the sea, the wind or the hill.泭
Other iconic painted stringed sculptures in the exhibition include泭Wave, 1943-44, from the National Galleries of Scotland and泭Pelagos泭(sea in Greek), 1946 from Tate, the latter directly inspired by the sculptors view from her studio onto the bay in St Ives in Cornwall.泭The泭exhibition also unites for the first time from private and public collections the six versions of泭Sculpture with Colour (Deep Blue and Red),泭made between 1940泭and 1943,泭featuring泭contrasting泭red泭strings泭hovering泭over泭a泭striking泭blue泭interior.泭
Alongside泭sculptures,泭the exhibition泭features泭a rich泭selection泭of泭Hepworths泭drawings with colour.泭During the first years of the war泭Hepworth lacked the materials, studio泭space泭and time to produce much sculpture泭but泭her泭drawings allowed her to continue to泭explore and泭develop her ideas. She recalled,泭In the late evenings, and during the night I did innumerable drawings圯xploring the particular tensions and relationships of form and colour which were to occupy me in sculpture during the later years of the war.泭These drawings, usually泭entitled泭drawing for sculpture泭are泭remarkable泭for their泭intricate泭crystalline forms, punctuated with strong blues,泭reds泭and泭greens.泭泭泭
The exhibition extends into the 1950s and 1960s to reflect how colour continued to occupy Hepworth in new泭and innovative泭ways,泭including泭in her expressive paintings, and in her泭work泭with patinated泭bronze泭and泭coloured泭marble.泭泭
The Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen Exhibition: Hepworth in泭Colour泭is curated by Dr Alexandra Gerstein, Curator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts at the Courtauld Gallery and Dr Stephen Feeke, independent writer and curator whose PhD from the Courtauld Institute of Art focused on Barbara Hepworths bronze sculptures.泭
To coincide with the exhibition, a display of泭rare泭photographs, taken in the 1930s by Paul Laib (19321936),泭capturing泭Hepworth and Ben Nicholson泭(18941982)泭in their泭shared泭studio in Hampstead, London,泭will be presented in泭the Project Space.泭These泭are among the most evocative studio images泭to泭emerge泭in Britain during the 20th century泭and show the fascinating interrelation of their practices泭at this time.泭泭
The Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen Exhibition:泭Hepworth in Colour泭is accompanied by a new catalogue, edited by泭Dr泭Alexandra Gerstein,泭Curator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts泭at the Courtauld泭Gallery泭and泭Dr泭Stephen Feeke,泭independent art historian泭and Hepworth specialist,泭with泭contributions泭by泭Alexandra Gerstein,泭Stephen Feeke,泭David Batchelor, Eleanor Clayton,泭Kirstie Dootson泭and Kate Edmondson.泭
The exhibitions Title Sponsor is Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen LLP. The exhibitions Lead Supporter is the Huo Family Foundation, with Support from Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne.泭
Courtauld Members泭can enjoy the exhibition without the crowds at a preview on Thursday 11 June, 14:00 18:00,泭and also泭get free unlimited entry to all exhibitions, access to presale tickets, priority booking to selected events, advance notice of art history short courses, exclusive events, discounts and more.泭Join at courtauld.ac.uk/members泭
Late openings
Discover泭The Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen Exhibition: Hepworth in Colour泭after hours. The Gallery will open until 20:00 on Friday 12 June, 26 June, 31 July, and 4 September 2026.泭
Relaxed openings
Join us for relaxed openings of泭The Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen Exhibition: Hepworth in Colour泭on泭Wednesday 1 July and Wednesday 19 August, at 10:00 or 10:15.泭Our relaxed exhibition openings include泭additional泭support and facilities from our friendly team.泭
The Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen Exhibition:
Hepworth in Colour
12 June 6 September 2026
Denise Coates泭Exhibition泭Galleries, Floor 3泭
/whats-on/exh-hepworth-in-colour/泭
Hepworth and Nicholson: The Hampstead Studio Photographs
6 June 4 October 2026泭
Project Space, Floor 2
/exh/hepworth-and-nicholson-the-hampstead-studio-photographs/泭泭
Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN
Opening hours: 10:00 18:00 (last entry 17:15).
Temporary Exhibition tickets (including entry to our Permanent Collection and displays)泭from 瞿18.泭Courtauld Members泭and 18s泭and泭under泭go泭free. Other concessions available.泭
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Notes to editors
About the Courtauld
51做厙 works to advance how we see and understand the visual arts, as an internationally renowned centre for the teaching and research of art history and a major public gallery. Founded by collectors and philanthropists in 1932, the organisation has been at the forefront of the study of art ever since through advanced research and conservation practice, innovative teaching, the renowned畚ollection畝nd inspiring exhibitions of its gallery, and engaging and accessible activities,疾ducation畝nd events.
51做厙 Gallery cares for one of the greatest art collections in the UK, presenting these works to the public at the Courtauld Gallery in central London, as well as through loans and partnerships. The Gallery is most famous for its iconic Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces such as Van GoghsSelf-Portrait with Bandaged Earand ManetsA Bar at 喧堯梗泭Folies-Bergere. It盎howcases眩hese alongside an internationally renowned collection of works from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance through to the present day.
Academically, the Courtauld Institute is the largest community of art historians and conservators in the UK, teaching and conducting research on subjects ranging from creativity in late Antiquity to contemporary digital art forms with an increasingly global focus. An independent college of the University of London, the Courtauld offers a range of degree programmes from BA to PhD in the History of Art, curating, art and business and the conservation of easel and wall paintings. Its alumni are leaders and innovators in the arts,畚ulture畝nd business worlds, helping to shape the global agenda for the arts and creative industries.
Founded on the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to engage with art, the Courtauld works to increase understanding of the role of art throughout history, across all societies and geographies, and to champion its importance in the present day. This could be through exhibitions offering a chance to look closely at world-famous works; events bringing art history research to new audiences; accessible short courses; digital engagement, innovative school, family, and community programmes; or taking a formal qualification. 51做厙s ambition is to transform access to art history education, ensuring as many people as possible can泭benefit泭from the tools it offers to better understand the visual world around us.泭
51做厙 is an exempt charity and relies on generous philanthropic support to achieve its mission of advancing the understanding of the visual arts of the past and present across the world through advanced research, innovative teaching, inspiring exhibitions,皰rogrammes畝nd collections.泭
The collection cared for by the Courtauld Gallery is owned by the Samuel Courtauld Trust.泭
About Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen LLP
Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen LLP (JHAB) is an elite dispute resolution and advisory law firm based in London. Established by barristers Joe Hage and Graham Aaronson KC in 2013, the firm uniquely integrates 喧堯梗泭expertise泭of leading solicitors and barristers, as well as specialist accountants and data scientists, to provide comprehensive solutions to complex legal challenges. We have an international client base that ranges from ultra-high net worth individuals and trusts to publicly listed blue-chip companies, foreign government泭entities泭and the worlds largest funds.泭
About Huo Family Foundation
The Huo Family Foundation is a grant-giving foundation based in London. Its mission is to support education,泭communities泭and the pursuit of knowledge. Its current areas of focus are education; the arts; and science. Through its donations, the Foundation hopes to improve the prospects of individuals, and to support the work of organisations泭seeking泭to ensure a safe and successful future for all society.泭The Foundation aims to make art more accessible to all through its support for galleries,泭museums泭and centres for the performing arts. For more information,泭泭