Town & Country Exhibition at Ottocento

21 SEPTEMBER – 26 OCTOBER 2024

Monday: By appointment

Tuesday: 10am – 5pm

Wednesday: 10am – 5pm

Thursday: 10am – 5pm

Friday: 10am – 5pm

Saturday: 10am – 4pm

Sunday: Closed

This visual journey through time showcases a curated selection of works by various artists from the 17th to the 20th Century. The exhibition delves into the dynamic tension between urban life and rural landscapes, capturing the essence of human experience in both bustling cities and tranquil countrysides.

We will curate the exhibition to highlight the contrast between old and new, pairing a work by Claude Joseph Vernet, the master of the Grand Tour, with modern pieces, including Bryan Ingham’s striking abstract collage. Both works are inspired by the Italian landscape but differ greatly in essence. The exhibition will also feature a collection of mid-century works by Phyllis Bray, showcasing woodland and coastal scenes, alongside three depictions of London by Gerald Rose, focusing on The Regent’s Canal in the late 1950s.

Our most recent acquisition is a significant piece by the surrealist artist and poet Bruno Capacci, titled Comedia dell’Arte (1935), which depicts entertainers in an Italian square. Capacci, who was married to Suzanne van Damme, befriended and exhibited with many of the greatest artists of his time, including Jules Breton, Giacometti, Cocteau, Ernst, Man Ray, Calder, Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Federico Fellini, Gorky, Picabia, and Tanguy, among others. This early work is one of his most important, reflecting both his admiration for the perspective of Renaissance masters and his engagement with the modern avant-garde.

The exhibition will run until 26th October.  We look forward to welcoming you.