Duncan Grant’s Dancers encapsulates a moment of radical transition in British art. Showcased at Roger Fry’s seminal Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition, it is one of Britain’s first truly modernist works. In this depiction of five dancing figures, Grant fuses modernist movements such as cubism with his distinctive eye for pattern and design. Acquired directly from Fry’s landmark exhibition, this work has, until recently, remained in the same family’s collection since its execution in 1912.

This striking portrait by Alfred Wolmark was completed in one long sitting. It is the first of two oil portraits of Henri Gaudier-Brzeska by his friend Wolmark, and the only one in private hands. It was given by the artist to Gaudier-Brzeska as a gift in return for a larger than life-size bust of Wolmark by Gaudier-Brzeska, depicted in the background of this work.

This thoughtful depiction of a young woman is Dod Procter’s earliest known painted portrait. During her career, Procter became renowned for her evocative portraits, particularly of women, which reflected a blend of traditional realism and modern sensibilities. The sitter, depicted in a red beret against a decorative backdrop, embodies a newly emerging modern style for women.

This elegant portrait of Cassandra Willoughby was painted by Maria Verelst, the most celebrated woman artist active in early eighteenth-century England. Having only recently come to light, the present work allows us to further explore the lives of two pioneering women who individually overcame gender biases to achieve remarkable success in their personal and professional lives.

Vanessa Bell was a master of the still life genre and her fascination with colour and design is magnified in this modern interpretation of a traditional still-life subject. As a key figure in the Bloomsbury Group, Bell produced some of the most avant-garde art in early twentieth-century Britain.