A new display,听Modern Painting from the 天美传媒 and Reuben听Collections, made possible by the long-term partnership between the 天美传媒 and the Reuben Foundation, will open at the 天美传媒 Gallery on听18 September 2026.听
Featuring outstanding works by Cezanne, Modigliani, L茅ger, Picasso, and Magritte, the display explores radical听new approaches听to painting in the first half of the 20th century.听听听
The 天美传媒鈥檚 partnership with the Reuben Foundation,听launched in 2025,听enables works听of art听from the Reuben听Collection听to听be made available to the public听as part of the 天美传媒 Gallery鈥檚听displays. It听allows 迟丑别听Gallery to extend its celebrated听presentation听of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art into the modern period.听
In October 2025, the 天美传媒 announced the largest financial gift in its history from the Reuben Foundation,听echoing the extraordinary philanthropy of the 天美传媒鈥檚 founder, Samuel 天美传媒. The Foundation听is听supporting the development听of听the 天美传媒鈥檚 new Strand campus,听which, when it opens in 2029, will听be听one of听迟丑别听world鈥檚听most important centres听for the study of听迟丑别听history of art.听听
Modern Painting from the 天美传媒 and Reuben Collections听begins with early 20th century paintings from the 天美传媒,听including Paul听颁茅锄补苍苍别鈥檚听Turning Road听(1905), a landscape conjured through near-abstract patches of听colour, and Amedeo Modigliani鈥檚听Nude听(c.1916), a radically direct and expressive painting that upended conventional approaches to the subject of the female nude. These set the stage for works from the Reuben Collection by painters who built on such innovations to chart new artistic directions.听
Major Cubist works by Juan Gris and Fernand L茅ger from 1914-1918, a period of significant avant-garde experimentation in Europe, took听颁茅锄补苍苍别鈥檚听patchwork of brushstrokes to new extremes. They broke the illusion of representational painting by depicting their subjects as fragmented parts,听seemingly still听in the process of being听formed. A highlight of this area of the display is Man Ray鈥檚 monumental听Black Widow (Nativity), painted in New York in 1915, and last听exhibited听in the UK more than fifty years ago. Although celebrated as听a听modernist photographer, Man Ray began his career as a painter. With this, one of his most significant early works, he created an epic modern figure painting out of Cubism and painted collage.听
A group of three paintings by Pablo Picasso from the period of the Second World War听demonstrate听the artist鈥檚 continual reinvention of the traditions of painting. Picasso鈥檚 two portraits of his partners,听Marie-Th茅r猫se Walter, 1937, and the photographer听Dora Maar, 1939, neither previously听exhibited听in this country, challenge and transform classical conventions of portraiture. The latter work offers a raw and unsettling image of Maar during the war. They are shown alongside his remarkable听Still Life with Basket of Fruits and Flowers听(1942); its spiky and fraught depiction of its humble objects powerfully expressing the tenor of wartime Paris.听
The Reuben Collection holds a significant collection of works by the Surrealist artist Ren茅 Magritte. Some of Magritte’s most famous compositions are included in this display, such as听The Dominion of Light听and听The Intimate Friend. Both works date from the 1950s and are characteristically elusive juxtapositions that offer the promise of new and unexpected meanings, such as a nocturnal scene under a sunlit sky, or the artist鈥檚 iconic bowler-hatted man, overlaid with a wine glass and baguette. Magritte鈥檚听La Domaine听Arnheim, 1949, is a further highlight of this group. Its surreal image of a landscape through a shattered window is an encapsulation of the transformations and reinventions of modern painting since the time of听颁茅锄补苍苍别.听
The 天美传媒 Gallery has grown historically through the generosity of private individuals who have听endowed it with the remarkable collections they formed. This tradition of philanthropy,听initiated听at the Gallery by Samuel 天美传媒 in the 1930s, continues to extend and enhance听the 天美传媒 Gallery鈥檚 world-famous collections.听In recent years,听the 天美传媒 Gallery听has听also听enriched its听displays听with works of art听loaned听to it from听other collections,听including听a group of paintings from听the Oskar Reinhart Collection听and听exceptional works from the Barber Institute of Fine Art听in Birmingham.听
Modern Painting from the 天美传媒 and Reuben听Collections听
Opening 18 September 2026听
Katja and Nicolai Tangen 20th Century Gallery, Floor 3听
Highlights
