Taking over the ground floor of Modern Two, Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting offers a unique opportunity to look at how the beloved Scottish artist engaged with the world and artists around her.
The exhibition brings together over 30 of Joan Eardley’s artworks, alongside some of the most notable names in the art world including Claude Monet, John Constable, Bet Low, William McTaggart, Jean Dubuffet and Antoni Tàpies.
Featuring 14 of Eardley’s oil paintings from the Scottish national collection alongside a selection of her works on paper and archival materials, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in Eardley’s work. See iconic views of coastal village Catterline, discover never-before-seen objects from her studio in Glasgow, and come face to face with the Glaswegian children who inspired many of her works.
Key works on display include the glimmering Summer Fields (about 1961), in which a bright golden cornfield dominates a grey Catterline sky, and Hedgerow with Grasses and Flowers (1962-1963), inspired by the wildflower fields behind Eardley’s cottage. Meet sisters Anne and Pat Samson, immortalised in childhood through Children and Chalked Wall 3, (1962-1963), and Street Kids (1949-1951), which tells the stories of Glasgow children who lived close to Eardley’s studio, and captures their friendliness and community spirit which Eardley admired.
Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting is free to view, and runs from 02 April to 28 June 2026 at National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two.
