Euan Uglow (1932–2000) was one of Britain’s most celebrated 20th-century painters, known for his careful, precise approach and incredible attention to detail. He often spent months—or even years—completing a single painting, each one exploring a specific idea through vibrant colour and light. In his Battersea studio, Uglow frequently worked on several pieces at once, using carefully measured rectangular compositions in his quest to create “a structured painting full of controlled and therefore potent emotion.” His almost mathematical methods often left marks on the canvas, revealing the process behind his work and the way time influenced his subjects. While best known for his large-scale nudes, he also painted sunlit Mediterranean landscapes and detailed still lifes, experimenting with materials from plastic to slowly decaying fruit.
Curated by Catherine Lampert, this exhibition is the first solo show of Uglow’s work in a UK public institution for 20 years. It features over 30 of his most ambitious paintings, alongside drawings and works by some of his influences, including Paul Cézanne, Alberto Giacometti, and his former tutors William Coldstream, Victor Pasmore, and Claude Rogers.
Main Image - Euan Uglow, Head of Pat (1978-83). Oil on canvas laid on panel, 49.5 x 54.6 m. Courtesy of Bernard Jacobson Gallery
