“[Rose] makes her own way, with a lot of help from Matisse and not much from Roger, to emerge after his death as an authoritative colourist of great strength and warmth in her own right.”  – Hilary Spurling (Spectator, 2016)

This exhibition presents a significant collection of work by distinguished British painter Rose Hilton (1931-2019) renowned for her captivating abstract paintings and masterful use of colour. Hilton uses painting to explore colour and light with imagery that oscillates between figuration and abstraction. The paintings on display, which date from 1974 to 2015, convey the subjects that endured in her work – her experiences of the Cornish landscape, her sensuous depiction of the human figure and her affection for the paintings of Henri Matisse and Pierre Bonnard. Hilton forged her unique style characterised by bold brushwork and a harmonious interplay of hues. Her sensitive and sensual paintings are marked by fluid figures and lyrical compositions evoking a sense of joy and spontaneity, reflecting her belief in the transformative power of art.

Despite growing up in a devout family who tried to dissuade her from pursuing a career in art, Rose Hilton was always a determined and passionate painter. She trained at the Royal College of Art in London, where she received accolades including the Life Drawing and Painting Prize and the Abbey Minor Scholarship to Rome. However, her career was only able to flourish after the death of her husband, the renowned painter Roger Hilton, in 1975. During their sixteen-year tumultuous relationship, her pursuit of painting had been put on hold.

Since her passing in 2019 there has been a significant resurgence of interest in Rose Hilton’s life and art. Her legacy endures as testament to her unwavering commitment to artistic expression and beyond her oeuvre as a woman with a passion for learning and an appreciation for the beauty in everyday life. Her paintings, held in collections worldwide, continue to enchant with their vitality, breathing new life into traditional subjects through radiant colour.