Viewing Nina Hamnett, Charleston, East Sussex

If you’ve heard of Nina Hamnett, it’s likely as a writer or a model. She wrote best-selling autobiographies and was immortalised in paint by Walter Sickert and Roger Fry and in drawings and sculptures by Henri Gaudi-er-Brzeska. She was a vivacious spirit and flitted between artistic circles in London and Paris, becoming well acquainted with the French avant-garde.

She was, however, also an artist. She exhibited widely in solo and group shows throughout the first half of the 20th century, gradually becoming one of the most respected women artists in London. A fact largely forgotten after her death — until now.

Her first major retrospective seeks to set the record straight. Featuring over 30 works spanning three decades, several of which have never or rarely been publicly exhibited, this exhibition explores her significant contribution to modern art.

On display are more than 20 of her finest portraits that ‘represent the spirit of the age’. Highlights include a striking portrayal of sculptor Ossip Zadkine from around 1914 and two portraits of her London landladies. The show also features landscapes, interiors, circus paintings and a set of watercolours depicting bohemia in Paris.

‘Brought together, these works show Hamnett to be a highly accomplished, pioneering and innovative artist,’ says Nathaniel Hepburn, Director and Chief Executive of The Charleston Trust. It’s exciting that she is finally being given her due.