Bath’s Leading Commercial Art Gallery

Beaux Arts Bath

Beaux Arts Bath

At WOOLF Interior Design and Interior Architecture we are always finding new artwork and Artists who inspire our work. We source and curate artwork for our interiors which we tailor to an individual artwork focus. We are fluid with styles and cultures, high and low art, elegance and edginess, always ensuring that our client’s aesthetic gains expression in carefully curated spaces in our residential and hotel projects. Explore WOOLF curated projects.

Alice Walton - Clements Shade, Coloured Porcelain and Stoneware

Alice Walton - Connaught II, Coloured Stoneware and Porcelain

At WOOLF Interior Design and Interior Architecture we have always approached designing an interior like a curator, this approach is lead by the founder Verity Woolf who has an exceptional depth of knowledge of both historic and contemporary art. She is a highly creative multi-faceted designer who has worked with existing client collections, sourced and purchased art for many intriguing and notable clients.

We have developed long standing relationships with art consultants, gallery owners, art dealers, artist’s agents, and private sales departments in the major artwork auction houses in the UK and abroad. We maintain relationships with the individuals and organisations who we consider to be authentic and well established in their specialist era or genre. We like to work with individuals who we feel have maintained a reputation for their extensive knowledge of art market valuations. Explore WOOLF curated projects.

Martin Greenland - Archived: Nameless Hill, Oil on Canvas

Jane Muir - Houses (from left: 46, 44, 47, 45), Stoneware heights

Beaux Arts is the leading Commercial Gallery in Bath

Beaux Arts, Bath is the sister gallery to Beaux Arts, London W1.  Beaux Arts, Bath holds a provenance as being the longest established commercial gallery in Bath which has been located in the same wonderful listed Georgian building in the centre of Bath for nearly 40 years.

Located near Bath Abbey, the gallery offers an art lover’s escape from the busy city and specialises in the work of major twentieth century painters, sculptors and studio ceramicists. It runs a programme of eight annual exhibitions, half of which are dedicated to promoting new young talent.  The more established artists names they have worked with include John Bellany, Lynn Chadwick, Mary Fedden, Dame Elisabeth Frink, Josef Herman, John Piper, and especially the St Ives group including Sir Terry Frost, Roger Hilton, Bryan Pearce and William Scott.

Deborah van der Beek - Ned Kelly Outlaw, Bronze Ed. of 7

Naomi Frears - Archived: Me and You, Dry-point, monoprint, Oil on Paper

Among the contemporary artists they represent are Nathan Ford, Beth Carter, Andrew Crocker, Anna Gillespie, Sarah Gillespie, Helen Simmonds, Anthony Scott and Simon Allen.  Beaux Arts exhibits leading studio ceramists including the work of Akiko Hirai, Takeshi Yasuda, John Maltby and numerous others. Explore WOOLF curated projects.

Beaux Arts, Bath and Beaux Arts, London can be found listed on many well-known international art websites including the Homo Faber Guide website homofaberguide.com. These platforms bring together artwork and clients come from across the globe.

John Behan - Galway Oar Boat, Bronze Ed. of 9

Simon Wright - Plane, Oil on board

History of the Beaux Arts Gallery, Bath

The original Beaux Arts Gallery was based in Bruton Place, London and was known as a pre-eminent center for promoting avant-garde art until its closure in 1965.  It was founded in 1923 and operated by Frederick Lessore, a portrait sculptor and the brother-in-law of Walter Sickert.  In January 1927, the 7 & 5 Society held an exhibition there, and later that year Christopher Wood shared his first exhibition there with Ben Nicholson, which was followed by one of the first exhibitions of Barbara Hepworth and her husband John Skeaping in 1928.  Explore WOOLF curated projects.

In 1934 Fredrick married the lady who was to become well known in her own right, Helen Lessore. Born in London to Jewish parents, Helen Lessore OBE (31 October 1907 – 6 May 1994) was a gallerist and the director of the Beaux Arts Gallery in London as well as an English modernist painter and visual artist.  Before she got married Helen studied at the Slade School of Art. In 1931 she became secretary at the Beaux Arts Gallery.  After they were married Fredrick and Helen had two sons.  Upon Fredrick’s death in 1951, Helen Lessore took over the directorship of the Gallery. Helen Lissore’s gallery closed and in 1979 the name ‘Beaux Arts’ was ressurected and opened in Bath in 1979.

Simon Allen - A Break in the Clouds, 12 ct. White Gold and Pigment

Terry Frost - Abstract Sculpture Untitled 2003, Oil on Metal Ed. 9

Under her guidance and management, many of the progressive and controversial artists of the 1950’s and 1960’s showed there. These included the so-called Kitchen Sink School of John Bratby, Jack Smith, Derrick Greaves and Edward Middleditch, and the loosely called School of London which included Francis Bacon, Raymond Mason, Frank Auerbach, Euan Uglow, Craigie Aitchison, Michael Andrews and Leon Kossoff.

Kitchen sink realism (or kitchen sink drama) was a British cultural movement that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in theatre, art, novels, film and television plays, whose protagonists usually could be described as "angry young men" who were disillusioned with modern society. It used a style of social realism, which depicted the domestic situations of working class Britons, living in cramped rented accommodation and spending their off-hours drinking in grimy pubs, to explore controversial social and political issues. The harsh, realistic style contrasted sharply with the escapism of the previous generation's so-called "well-made plays". Explore WOOLF curated projects.

Lynn Chadwick - Archived: Standing Figure 1988 Bronze Edition of 9

Patrick Haines - As Above So Below II, Bronze, Copper, Antique Spirit Level Ed. of 10

Other prominent exhibitions at the gallery included the first solo exhibition of Frank Auerbach,  Leon Kossoff and the sculpture and pottery of Reginald Fairfax Wells. The work of Walter Sickert was regularly shown at the gallery until its closure in 1965. One of the Lessore's sons, John Lessore and an artist in his own right, exhibited at the gallery whilst it was open. He has subsequently been appointed a trustee of the National Gallery.

The ‘Beaux Arts Gallery’ name was rekindled in 1971 when Reg and Patricia Singh opened their first gallery in St. Ives, Cornwall and represented work by artists of the St. Ives School.  They opened Beaux Arts, Bath in 1979.  Some of these earlier artists' work now form the core of the gallery's substantial inventory of Modern British art.  The Singh’s went on to open the Beaux Arts Gallery in London in 2014. 

The Beaux Arts Galleries also represent the estates of Terry Frost, Elisabeth Frink and Lynn Chadwick. When Reg and Patricia Singh opened Wills Lane gallery in St. Ives in 1971, where they included in their first exhibition the work of Barbara Hepworth.  They represented work by artists of the post-war St. Ives School. Some of these earlier artists' work now form the core of the gallery's substantial inventory of Modern British art.  The Singh’s went on to open the Beaux Arts Gallery in London in 1995.  The Beaux Arts Galleries also represent the estates of Terry Frost, Paul Mount and Elisabeth Frink. Explore WOOLF curated projects.

Nick Mackman - Baby Warthog (looking right on image of 3 together), Low-fired ceramic

Rob Whelpton - Large Round Bottle, Raku Fired Ceramic

“Sculptor Anna Gillespie discusses her work, inspirations and her solo show with Beaux Arts. ”

“Sculptor Simon Allen discusses his work and his working techniques from his studio. ”