The twentieth century was a time of great change for women. This exhibition spotlights four British artists working in the early 1900s: Vanessa Bell, Gwen John, Laura Knight and Dod Procter. Each established a successful career at a time when there had been few celebrated women artists. The exhibition reveals how the women challenged the conventions of their day to become respected painters, while showcasing each as an important artist in her own right.
This Curation features some of the artworks on display in the exhibition Challenging Convention at the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne (17 May - 21 August 2021*). The exhibition features loans from over 30 UK public collections.
*Provisional (may be subject to small changes)
Winifred John (1879–1967) c.1900
Gwen John (1876–1939)
Oil on canvas
H 25 x W 20 cm
Tenby Museum & Art Gallery
A Corner of the Artist's Room in Paris 1907–1909
Gwen John (1876–1939)
Oil on canvas
H 31.7 x W 26.7 cm
Sheffield Museums
Chloë Boughton-Leigh (1868–1947) 1910–1914
Gwen John (1876–1939)
Oil on canvas
H 60.3 x W 38.6 cm
Leeds Museums and Galleries
View of the Pond at Charleston, East Sussex c.1919
Vanessa Bell (1879–1961)
Oil on canvas
H 79.8 x W 84 cm
Sheffield Museums

The Vineyard 1942 or before
Vanessa Bell (1879–1961)
Oil on board
H 47 x W 55.5 cm
Atkinson Art Gallery Collection

Laura Knight (1877–1970)
Oil on canvas
H 102.5 x W 127 cm
IWM (Imperial War Museums)

A Dressing Room at Drury Lane c.1952
Laura Knight (1877–1970)
Oil on canvas
H 74.2 x W 61.5 cm
Atkinson Art Gallery Collection

Early Morning 1927
Dod Procter (1892–1972)
Oil on canvas
H 51.4 x W 101.6 cm
Brighton & Hove Museums

The Hall Table exhibited 1931
Dod Procter (1892–1972)
Oil on canvas
H 38.1 x W 49.5 cm
Towneley Hall Art Gallery & Museum

Dod Procter (1892–1972)
Oil on canvas
H 60 x W 51 cm
RWA (Royal West of England Academy)