The novelist, Virginia Woolf once made an observation that literature has ‘done its best to maintain that its concern is with the mind; that the body is a sheet of plain glass through which the soul looks straight and clear.'


Similarly, the visual art - whether academic conventions or the study of the ideal - tends to focus on interpretation of the mind rather than the body. The human body is used merely as a vehicle to convey the deeper spiritual meanings, inner thoughts or emotions of the artist. This virtual exhibition brings together a group of works by the artists who explore this conflict between the mind and the body that is both deeply personal and universal to challenge our perception of the human body.

45 artworks
  • Red Landscape with Figures 1964
    John Keith Vaughan (1912–1977)
    Oil on canvas
    H 122.2 x W 91.8 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Red Landscape with Figures
    © the estate of Keith Vaughan. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Still Point 1993
    Gwen Hardie (b.1962)
    Oil on canvas
    H 200 x W 200 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Still Point
    © the artist. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Falling from Grace 1991
    Gwen Hardie (b.1962)
    Oil on canvas
    H 200 x W 200 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Falling from Grace
    © the artist. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Restraining Coat II (Female) 1995
    Julie Roberts (b.1963)
    Oil & acrylic on canvas
    H 152.4 x W 152.4 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Restraining Coat II (Female)
    © the artist. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Cherries, Forbidden Fruit and Pear in a Landscape 1991
    Alison Watt (b.1965)
    Oil on canvas
    H 152 x W 60.6 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Cherries, Forbidden Fruit and Pear in a Landscape
    © the artist. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Torso 1932
    Barbara Hepworth (1903–1975)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Pope I (Study after Pope Innocent X by Diego Velázquez) 1951
    Francis Bacon (1909–1992)
    Oil on canvas
    H 197.8 x W 137.4 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Pope I (Study after Pope Innocent X by Diego Velázquez)
    © The Estate of Francis Bacon. All rights reserved. DACS 2024. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Francis Bacon (1909–1992), Study No. 6 (Head and Teeth) 1978
    Clive Barker (b.1940)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • J. Y. M. Seated 1976
    Frank Helmuth Auerbach (b.1931)
    Oil on board
    H 50.8 x W 45.8 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    J. Y. M. Seated
    © the artist. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • L'homme qui marche 1877
    Auguste Rodin (1840–1917)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Iris 1976
    Gavin Scobie (1940–2012)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Seated Torso 1923
    Frank Dobson (1886–1963)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • The Green Chemise c.1931
    Matthew Arnold Bracy Smith (1879–1959)
    Oil on canvas
    H 72.4 x W 92.4 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    The Green Chemise
    © by permission of the copyright holder. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Woman with a Cat 1944
    Jankel Adler (1895–1949)
    Oil on canvas
    H 112.2 x W 87.4 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Woman with a Cat
    Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Reclining Nude (II) 1955
    William Brooker (1918–1983)
    Oil on canvas
    H 63.3 x W 76.2 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Reclining Nude (II)
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • An Angel Ascending to Heaven 1969 & 1983–1989
    Angus Menmuir Neil (1924–1992)
    Oil on board
    H 118.4 x W 118.6 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    An Angel Ascending to Heaven
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Woman in Green 1949
    Robert Colquhoun (1914–1962)
    Oil on canvas
    H 101.3 x W 51.4 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Woman in Green
    © the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Untitled 1992
    Christopher Le Brun (b.1951)
    Oil on canvas
    H 160.2 x W 190.2 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Untitled
    © Christopher Le Brun. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Serb and Muslim 1994
    Peter Howson (b.1958)
    Oil on canvas
    H 213.5 x W 152.5 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Serb and Muslim
    © Peter Howson. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Group of Figures 1968
    John Keith Vaughan (1912–1977)
    Oil on canvas
    H 101.5 x W 91.4 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Group of Figures
    © the estate of Keith Vaughan. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Threnody c.1970
    Robin Philipson (1916–1992)
    Oil on hand-collaged paper on canvas
    H 185.5 x W 138.8 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Threnody
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • The Blue Petticoat c.1912
    Spencer Gore (1878–1914)
    Oil on canvas
    H 35.3 x W 30.1 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    The Blue Petticoat
    Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Woman Unknown to Herself 1993–1994
    Lilian Strang Neilson (1938–1998)
    Oil on hardboard
    H 122.5 x W 244.7 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Woman Unknown to Herself
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Triple Goddess 1989
    Arlene Isbister (b.1966)
    Waxed acrylic on canvas
    H 244 x W 120 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Triple Goddess
    © the artist. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • One of the Stations of the Dead 1933–1937
    Wyndham Lewis (1882–1957)
    Oil on canvas
    H 127.6 x W 75.8 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Old Woman in Church c.1948
    Joan Kathleen Harding Eardley (1921–1963)
    Charcoal on buff paper
    H 44 x W 60.7 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Old Woman in Church
    © the Eardley estate. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Evening Star c.1940–1944
    James Cowie (1886–1956)
    Oil on canvas
    H 137.5 x W 133.4 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Evening Star
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Noon 1946
    James Cowie (1886–1956)
    Oil on canvas
    H 57 x W 57 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Noon
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Seated Girl Holding a Piece of Sewing 1915–1925
    Gwen John (1876–1939)
    Oil on canvas
    H 41 x W 33 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Seated Girl Holding a Piece of Sewing
    Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Irish Girl c.1940
    Victor Pasmore (1908–1998)
    Oil on canvas
    H 61.4 x W 51 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Irish Girl
    © estate of Victor Pasmore. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Head of a Man
    Hermann Gross (1904–1988)
    Sterling silver
    H 37 x W 20 x D 37 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Head of a Man
    © the copyright holder. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Head of a Young Girl 1975
    Stephen Buckley (b.1944)
    Enamel over acrylic on canvas
    H 208.2 x W 170.1 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Head of a Young Girl
    © the artist. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • A Girl's Head 1925
    Clara Klinghoffer (1900–1970)
    Oil on canvas
    H 45.4 x W 41.1 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    A Girl's Head
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Portrait Head 1965
    Angus Menmuir Neil (1924–1992)
    Oil on board
    H 51.2 x W 41 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Portrait Head
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Stretching 1963
    Bernard Dunstan (1920–2017)
    Oil on canvas
    H 61 x W 51 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Stretching
    © the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Seated Nude 1940
    William Scott (1913–1989)
    Oil on canvas
    H 61 x W 50.9 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Seated Nude
    © estate of William Scott 2024. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Woman Resting 1951
    Reg Butler (1913–1981)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Screen Relief – Girl 1972
    Ralph Brown (1928–2013)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Position de quatrième devant sur la jambe gauche 1882–1895
    Edgar Degas (1834–1917)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Seated Figure 1925–1974
    Emilio Greco (1913–1995)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Annunciation 1937–1946
    Gwynneth Holt (1909–1995)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Figure on Steps 1956
    Henry Moore (1898–1986)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Les trois belles 1950
    Ossip Zadkine (1890–1967)
    Brass
    H 78.5 x W 34.5 x D 18 cm
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
    Les trois belles
    © ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2024. Image credit: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Uncle Roy
    Keith Wilson (b.1965)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

  • Five Set Conversation Pieces 1998
    Christine Borland (b.1965) (by or after)
    Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums