Gwen John: Strange Beauties

Art · National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two

1 August 2026 – 31 December 2026

Strange Beauties is the first major retrospective in over forty years dedicated to Welsh painter Gwen John (1876—1939). One of the first generation of women to receive a formal art education, John studied at the Slade School of Art in London, before settling in Paris.

The exhibition showcases celebrated oil paintings and rarely seen drawings, ranging from her early years in Wales, through to experimental late works inspired by John’s religious beliefs, French modernism, and her surroundings in the Parisian suburb of Meudon. Marking 150 years since the artist’s birth, Strange Beauties offers a fresh new perspective on Gwen John’s work and artistic legacy.

Developed by Amgueddfa Cymru in partnership with National Galleries of Scotland, Yale Center for British Art, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington DC.

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