The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum is proud to announce a major new exhibition, The Art of Looking: from Dutch Masters to Modern Britain.
Opening 29 May, this exhibition celebrates the richness of the Wilson’s collection, from the forty-three paintings gifted to Cheltenham in 1898 of the de Ferrières collection, through to 20th century works from British and international artists including Stanley Spencer, Graham Sutherland, Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, and Lynn Chadwick. The Art of Looking invites visitors to explore how artistic styles, techniques, and ideas of cultural identity emerge and evolve through time.
Rachel Ruysch (attributed to), Flowers in a Glass Vase, c. 1705-1715. Edward Wolfe, Seated Figure, c. 1962 © The Estate of Edward Wolfe. All Rights Reserved, 2026 DACS. Wilson Art Gallery and Museum Collection.
The Wilson’s de Ferrières Collection, is a rare and focused group of European artworks which span the mid‑17th to the mid‑19th century. These works, long admired for their craftsmanship and narrative clarity, include notable masterpieces by Gabriel Metsu, Gerrit Dou, and moral tales by Jan Steen, including The Fat Kitchen and The Lean Kitchen and etchings by Rembrandt van Rijn. The collection reflects the values of its time: civic pride, academic realism, a belief in art’s moral and educational purpose, and presents a world built from close observation.
The cityscapes, still lives, portraits, and scenes of everyday life reward careful attention: the glint of light on a pewter jug, the texture of brickwork, the quiet concentration of a reader, the bustle of a tavern. These artists transformed ordinary moments into subjects of beauty and meaning, encouraging viewers to notice the richness of the visible world.
Heyman Dullaert (attributed to), The Barber Surgeon, 1636-1684. Wilson Art Gallery and Museum Collection.
In contrast, a second exhibition space highlights modern painters and sculptors who continue this exploration, but with new questions. Rather than simply recording what they saw, they experimented with perception, memory, and metaphor. Landscapes become expressive structures; interiors turn into spaces of mood and colour; portraits reveal psychological depth; still lives shift toward abstraction. These works remind us that looking is never passive - it is shaped by imagination, experience, and the changing concerns of the modern age. Reflecting the Wilson’s modern and contemporary collection, this curated selection of 20th-century artworks reveal a world transformed by war, industrialisation, global exchange, and new ideas about the self.
Together, the two periods form a conversation about attention. Whether rendered with meticulous detail or bold stylisation, each artwork asks us to pause, to look again, and to discover how much more becomes visible when we take the time to truly see. Through interpretive prompts, and a rich, atmospheric display, The Art of Looking encourages viewers to take a slow looking approach in the galleries. In a world of constant speed and distraction, the exhibition creates space for sustained attention. Through an environment designed for lingering and discovery, the display encourages a deeper engagement with the works, revealing layers of meaning that unfold only through time.
Vanessa Bell, Window, Still Life, c.1915. © 2026 Estate of Vanessa Bell. All rights reserved, DACS. Wilson Art Gallery and Museum Collection.
The exhibition will also incorporate a unique sensory experience, exploring the visual extravagance, visceral nature, texture and even smell of these historic paintings through scent boxes, immersing visitors in the evocative historical scenes. Audiences will also be invited to create their own still life arrangements, alongside the original works by Dutch Masters.
The Wilson Arts Gallery & Museum is part of the Cheltenham Trust, a charitable organisation whose mission is to shape a thriving town through arts, culture, heritage, leisure and wellbeing. The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of events and activities at the Wilson Art Gallery and Museum. The Art of Looking: from Dutch Masters to Modern Britain runs from 29 May – 3 January at the Wilson Art Gallery & Museum. Entry is free of charge, during the Wilson’s opening Press release – for immediate release hours Tue – Fri 10am-5pm, and Sun 10am-4pm. For further information, visit The Wilson Art Gallery website.
