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Symphonies and Nocturnes on Canvas

The  James McNeill Whistler  exhibition at Tate Britain is big, probably a bit too big, but it's packed with beautiful pictures and it's not in the least bit boring.  That's not surprising as Whistler led a colourful life, never shying from controversy and confrontation -- notably pursuing a high-profile libel case against John Ruskin  -- and he produced art that was groundbreaking, hugely influential and enormously atmospheric. Including, of course, probably one of the most recognisable paintings in art history, that of his mother in profile, dressed in black. It's in this show, and we'll be taking a look at it shortly.  But we start in Whistler's studio, where the artist has painted himself at work, palette and brush in his hands, and looking out directly at us, the viewers. This is the first picture you see in the show, and we're told that for Whistler, the studio was a place for public performance, as well as making art. So here he is, making a statemen...
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New Exhibitions in January

Hawaii: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans at the British Museum in London examines the art and history of the islands in the Pacific, in an exhibition marking 200 years since their king and queen travelled to London to seek an alliance with Britain. Many of the 150 objects and artworks have never been seen in the UK before. On from January 15 to May 25.
At the Courtauld Gallery, 10 little-known names will be showcased in A View of One's Own: Landscapes by British Women Artists, 1760-1860. Fanny Blake, Harriet Lister and Amelia Long are some of those whose drawings and watercolours will be on display; some were recognised in their lifetimes, the work of others has only recently come to light. January 28 to May 20. 

Her work was instantly recognisable and hugely popular. Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy at The Box in Plymouth marks the centenary of the birth of a painter who celebrated everyday life but whose pictures were often regarded as mere kitsch by the art establishment. This show, running from January 24 to May 31, gathers more than 80 of the estimated 500 paintings she made, and alongside the attempt to show her credentials as a serious artist, it's bound to be a lot of fun.
From January 31 to May 10, People Watching at the Dorset Museum & Art Gallery in Dorchester will be showing around 50 portraits from the Ingram Collection of Modern British Art. Elisabeth Frink, Barbara Hepworth, Dod Procter and Bridget Riley are among the sculptors and painters represented. 

The big exhibition opening on the Continent this month looks like being the one devoted to Paul Cezanne at the Fondation Beyeler on the outskirts of Basel. Focusing on the final years of the painter's career, the show will bring together about 80 oils and watercolours. It's on from January 25 to May 25. 
At the start of the 20th century, Jan Toorop was known as the most avant-garde artist in the Netherlands. He's included in the Neo-Impressionists show at the National Gallery in London, and a new exhibition at Singer Laren near Hilversum with around 80 exhibits looks at his whole career, with a focus on his Javanese roots. On from January 21 to May 10, The Worlds of Jan Toorop will also include paintings by artists he admired, such as Whistler and Gauguin. 

Last chance to see....

Swirling drapery, big hair, glorious colours. Evelyn De Morgan: The Modern Painter in Victorian London is an oddly named exhibition at the Guildhall Art Gallery in the City, but it certainly deserves a visit if you can get there by January 4; and you pay what you think it's worth.

Images

Mahiole hulu manu (Hawaiian feathered helmet), undated. © The Trustees of the British Museum
Beryl Cook (1926-2008), Elvira's Cafe. Courtesy of ourberylcook.com. © John Cook 2025 
Paul Cezanne (1839-1906), Apples and Oranges, c. 1899, Musée d’Orsay, Paris. © Grand Palais RMN (Musée d'Orsay)/Hervé Lewandowski
Evelyn De Morgan (1855-1919), The Storm Spirits, 1900, De Morgan Foundation


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