Key information
- Jenny Saville is one of the most influential British painters of her generation.
- “The Anatomy of Painting” is her first major UK museum retrospective, held at the National Portrait Gallery in London.
- The exhibition opened on June 20, 2025, and will run until September 7, 2025.
- It spans over 30 years of her work, featuring approximately 45–50 pieces.
- The show includes large-scale paintings, charcoal drawings, and new works that explore identity, trauma, and the human body.
A revolutionary approach to the human form
Jenny Saville, one of the most influential British painters of her generation, is the subject of a major new retrospective at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The Anatomy of Painting is currently on display, having opened on June 20, 2025, and will run until September 7, 2025. It is the first UK museum exhibition dedicated to Saville’s work and offers a rare, in-depth look at her revolutionary approach to the human figure. Spanning more than 30 years, the exhibition brings together approximately 45–50 works, including large-scale paintings, charcoal drawings, and new pieces never before shown publicly.
Saville rose to prominence in the 1990s as part of the Young British Artists movement. Her painting “Propped” (1992), purchased by Charles Saatchi shortly after her graduation from Glasgow School of Art, marked the beginning of a bold career. That early self-portrait, with its confrontational gaze and massive scale, set the tone for much of what would follow: a relentless, visceral investigation of the body as both physical reality and psychological site.
Flesh, scale, and emotional impact
Throughout the exhibition, visitors encounter monumental canvases depicting flesh in all its complexity—scarred, bruised, stretched, folded. Works like Rosetta II and Witness confront viewers with raw, unfiltered depictions of bodies that defy conventional beauty. At times, Saville paints with the urgency of an abstract expressionist, layering pigment and blurring features to suggest movement, transformation, and pain. At other times, her technique is hyperrealist, drawing attention to veins, skin texture, and muscle with almost surgical precision.
Dialogues with art history and contemporary issues
The title “The Anatomy of Painting” captures not only the physicality of Saville’s subjects but also her meticulous, almost forensic approach to the medium. She works in dialogue with art history—absorbing influences from Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rubens, Rembrandt, and modern masters like Willem de Kooning and Cy Twombly. Yet Saville’s art is thoroughly contemporary, addressing issues such as gender identity, motherhood, trauma, and the visibility of marginalized bodies.
Intimacy, process, and a new direction
A striking feature of the show is its balance between power and intimacy. While her paintings often dominate entire walls, the exhibition also includes delicate charcoal and pastel drawings. These works offer insight into her process and showcase her mastery of line and tone. Studies of lovers, mothers with children, and solitary figures demonstrate a quieter, more reflective side to Saville’s practice.
One of the highlights is “Eve”, a new portrait making its public debut. This recent work continues Saville’s interest in portraying transformation—whether through age, experience, or identity—and signals the direction of her evolving vision.
Curated by Sarah Howgate in close collaboration with the artist, “The Anatomy of Painting” invites audiences to reconsider the human form as something unstable, expressive, and profoundly emotional. The show is not just a celebration of technical skill but a powerful statement about what it means to inhabit a body in the contemporary world.
Whether you are familiar with Jenny Saville’s work or encountering it for the first time, this exhibition is an essential experience. It affirms her place as a defining figure in 21st-century painting—uncompromising, fearless, and always deeply human.
FAQ
Where is the Jenny Saville retrospective being held?
The exhibition is taking place at the National Portrait Gallery in London. It marks the first UK museum show dedicated entirely to Saville’s work.
What is the focus of “The Anatomy of Painting “exhibition?
The show explores Jenny Saville’s radical approach to the human body, highlighting themes of physicality, identity, trauma, and transformation through more than 30 years of paintings and drawings.
What types of works are included in the exhibition?
The exhibition features approximately 45–50 pieces, including large-scale oil paintings, charcoal drawings, pastel studies, and new works never before shown publicly.
Are there any notable works or debuts in the exhibition?
Yes. Highlights include iconic works like “Propped”, “Rosetta II”, and the debut of a new portrait titled “Eve”, which reflects Saville’s ongoing interest in metamorphosis and identity.
Why is this exhibition significant for Saville’s career?
It affirms her legacy as a defining figure in 21st-century painting, offering a rare opportunity to view the full depth of her work in one place—bridging classical technique with contemporary issues of gender, beauty, and the body.
Selena Mattei