• Biography

    Christopher Le Brun is one of the leading British painters of his generation, celebrated internationally since the 1980s, making both figurative and abstract work in painting, sculpture and print. He was an instrumental public figure in his role as President of the Royal Academy of Arts in London from 2011 to 2019. He was awarded a Knighthood for services to the Arts in the 2021 New Year Honours. At the beginning of 2023, further two of his major pieces were added to institutional collections of Tate Gallery in London and the Museum of Contemporary Art & Urban Planning (MoCAUP) in Shenzhen.

     

    Le Brun employs a mastery of touch and colour alongside a profound understanding of art history and a wide range of visual, musical and literary sources. He has remained consistent in adhering to what he feels to be the essential poetry and pleasure of painting for its own sake, led by intuition and visual imagination and resistant to external justification. 

     

    His interest in the formal possibilities of painting has led recently to the development of modular compositions from single pieces through to large and highly complex canvases, triptychs and monumental multipart paintings, extending the limits of abstract pictorial composition. A heightened awareness of the physicality of the painting process with its dramatic tension between revealing and covering, has been a central feature of his work that unites all its phases whether abstract or figurative. 

     

    Born in Portsmouth in 1951, Christopher Le Brun trained at the Slade and Chelsea Schools of Art, London. In his early career, he was a double prizewinner at the John Moores exhibitions (1978, 1980), also showing in the Venice Biennale (1980) and the ground-breaking exhibition ‘Zeitgeist’ (1982) at the Martin-Gropius Bau, Berlin. His recent solo exhibitions have been held at the Red Brick Art Museum, Beijing, China (2021); Albertz Benda, New York, USA (2020); Lisson Gallery, Shanghai, China (2019); Lisson Gallery, London, UK (2018); the Southampton Art Gallery, Southampton, UK (2018); Wolfson College, Cambridge, UK (2018); Albertz Benda, New York, NY, USA (2017); The Gallery at Windsor, Vero Beach, FL, USA (2017); Colnaghi, London, UK (2015); Friedman Benda, New York, NY, USA (2014); New Art Centre, Wiltshire, UK (2010) and The New Art Gallery, Walsall, UK (2008). Le Brun served as a trustee of Tate from 1990–1995; The National Gallery from 1996–2003; the Dulwich Picture Gallery from 2000–2005; and as a founding trustee of the Royal Drawing School from 2003–2016. He was a trustee of the National Portrait Gallery between 2012-19. He was elected the first Professor of Drawing of the Royal Academy, London in 2000, where he also served as President from 2011-2021, the 26th since Sir Joshua Reynolds and the youngest since Lord Leighton in 1878. 

     

    His work is in many museum collections including Tate Gallery, London, UK; Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA; Museum of Contemporary Art & Urban Planning (MoCAUP), Shenzhen, China, the British Museum, London, UK; Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA; Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK; Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, Scotland; The Whitworth, Manchester, UK; Red Brick Art Museum, Beijing, China, and Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, USA. Le Brun’s public sculptures include Union (horse with two discs) at the Museum of London; City Wing on the site of the former stock exchange at Threadneedle Street; and The Monument to Victor Hugo on the quayside in St Helier, Jersey.

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    CV

    CHRISTOPHER LE BRUN

     

    Present Lives and works in London, UK

     

    2021 Knighthood, New Year Honours List

     

    2020 IP Project Board, National Portrait Gallery, 

    London, UK 

    Emeritus Trustee, Royal Drawing School, London, UK 

     

    2017 Vice President of the Turner Society, London, UK

     

    2012-2019 Trustee, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK

     

    2011-2019 President, Royal Academy of the Arts, London, UK 

     

    2010 Honorary Fellowship, University of the Arts, 

    London, UK

     

    2000-2005 Trustee, Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, UK

     

    2003-2014 Chairman of the Academic Board, Royal Drawing 

    School, London, UK 

     

    2003-2016 Trustee, Royal Drawing School, London, UK 

     

    2000-2002 Professor of Drawing, Royal Academy, London, UK

     

    1996-2003 Trustee, National Gallery, London, UK

     

    1996 Elected to the Royal Academy, London, UK

     

    1990-1995 Trustee, Tate Gallery, London, UK

     

    1987-1988 Guest of the Berlin Artists’ Programme of the DAAD, Berlin, DE

     

    1976-1983 Visiting lecturer Brighton, Slade and Wimbledon 

    Schools of Art, London, UK

     

    1975 M.A., Chelsea School of Art, London, UK

     

    1974 D.F.A., Slade School of Fine Art, London, UK

     

    1951 Born in Portsmouth, UK

     

     

    Public Collections

     

    Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen, UK

    Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney 

    Arts Council of Great Britain, London, UK

    Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, Norway

    Berardo Museum, Lisbon, Portugal 

    Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery, The British Council, London, UK

    The British Council, London, UK 

    London British Museum, London, UK

    London Contemporary Art Society, London, UK

    London Courtauld Gallery, London, UK

    London Department of the Environment, London, UK

    Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK

    FRAC Collection, Paris, FR

    Hamilton Art Gallery, Ontario Harris Museum, Preston, CA

    Harris Museum, Preston, UK

    High Museum, Atlanta, GA 

    Ile de France Regional Fund, Saint-Ouen, FR

    Isle of Man Arts Council John Creasey Museum, Salisbury, UK

    John Creasey Museum, Salisbury, UK 

    Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool, UK

    Malmö Doershus, Mälmo, SE

    Maclaurin Art Gallery, Ayr, SC

    McNay Museum, San Antonio, TX

    The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

    The Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo, NO

    The Museum of Contemporary Art & Urban Planning, Shenzhen, CN

    Museum of Fine Arts Houston, TX

    Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

    Museum of London, London, UK

    National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, IE

    National Portrait Gallery, London, UK

    The New Art Gallery, Walsall, UK

    Nottingham Castle Museum, Nottingham, UK

    Pallant House, Chichester, UK

    Power Gallery, University of Sydney, Sydney, AU

    Red Brick Art Museum, Beijing, CN

    Royal Academy, London, UK

    Royal Collection, Windsor Castle, UK

    Rooseum, Malmö, SE

    Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, UK

    Southampton Museum and Art Gallery, Southampton, UK

    Southwark Art Collection, London, UK

    Spencer Collection, New York City Public Library, New York, NY

    Stavanger Art Gallery, Stavanger, Norway

    St. Cross College, Oxford, UK

    Stirlingshire Educational Trust, UK

    Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, Swindon, UK

    Tate Gallery, London, UK

    University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

    University of Tasmania, Hobart, AU

    University of Texas, Austin, TX

    University of the Arts Drawings Archive, London, UK

    Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK

    Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK

    Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, Los Angeles, CA

    Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, UK

    Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, CT

     

     

    Select Solo Exhibitions

     

    2023 Swan Ritual, albertz benda, New York, NY

     

    2022 Making Light albertz benda, Los Angeles, CA 

    Momentarium, Lisson Gallery, London, UK

     

    2021 A Sense of Sight, Abstract Work 1974-2020, Red Brick Art Museum, Beijing, CN

     

    2020 Figure and Play, albertz benda, New York, NY

     

    2019 Diptychs, Lisson Gallery, Shanghai, CN

     

    2018 Composer, Southampton City Art Gallery, Southampton, UK

    New Painting, Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Dualities, Wolfson College, Cambridge, UK  

     

    2017 Christopher Le Brun: Composer, albertz benda, New York, NY 

    Christopher Le Brun: Composer, The Gallery at Windsor, 

    Vero Beach, FL 

    Now Turn the Page, Arndt, Berlin, DE

     

    2016 New Paintings, Arndt, SG

     

    2015 Colour, Colnaghi, London, UK 

     

    2014 New Paintings, Friedman Benda, New York, NY

     

    2011 Five Symbolic Images: bronze and plaster sculptures by

    Christopher Le Brun, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, UK

    Watercolours, Abbott & Holder, London, UK

    Recent work, Galleri J. Aasen, Aalesund, NO

     

    2010 Twenty Drawings, Abbott & Holder, London, UK

    The distance: new painting and sculpture, New Art Centre,

    Wiltshire, UK

    Christopher Le Brun, Thomas Deans Gallery, Atlanta, GA

     

    2009 Landscapes, Hohenthal und Bergen, Berlin, DE

     

    2008 Christopher Le Brun, The New Art Gallery, Walsall, UK

    Fifty Etchings 2005, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK

     

    2005 Lichfield Cathedral - invited artist Lichfield Arts Festival, 

    Lichfield, UK

    50 Etchings 2005, Paragon Press, Frieze Art Fair,

    London, UK

    Drawings, Hillsboro Fine Art, Dublin, IE

     

    2004 The Given - Paintings and Watercolours 2000-2004, 

    Marlborough Chelsea, New York, NY

     

    2003-04 Venice Pictures, Galleria Sottoportego, Venice, IT

    Venice Pictures, Marlborough Graphics, London, UK

     

    2003 The Motif is Painting Itself, Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

     

    2002 Galleri Christian Dam, Copenhagen, DK

     

    2001 Works on Paper, University Gallery, University of Northumbria, 

    Newcastle, UK

    Galerie J. Aasen, Aalesund, NO

    Cloud Metaphor, Pollock Gallery, Southern Methodist University, 

    Dallas, TX

    Paintings, Sculpture, Prints, Marlborough Fine Art, London, UK

    The Wagner Series 1994: Prints by Christopher Le Brun, 

    Henry Cole Wing, V&A Museum, London, UK

     

    2000 Galleri Christian Dam, Oslo, NO

    Fig-1: 50 Projects in 50 Weeks, London, UK

     

    1999 Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston, TX

     

    1998 Recent work, Marlborough Fine Art, London, UK

    Ainscough Gallery, Liverpool, UK

    1997 The Art of Etching, Courtauld Prints and Drawings Gallery, 

    London, UK

    Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

     

    1996 Monotypes 1986-96, Marlborough Graphics, London, UK

     

    1995 Four Riders: states and progress-proofs, Fitzwilliam Museum, 

    Cambridge, UK

    Christopher Le Brun, Astrup Fearnley Museum for Modern Art,

    Oslo, NO

    Glasgow Print Studio, Glasgow, UK 

     

    1994 Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

    Marlborough Fine Art, London, UK 

     

    1992 Art Center, Pasadena, CA

    L.A. Louver Gallery, Venice, CA

     

    1991 Fifty Etchings, Nigel Greenwood Gallery, London, UK

    Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

     

    1989 Nigel Greenwood Gallery, London, UK

     

    1988 Daadgalerie, Berlin, DE

    Sperone Westwater, New York, NY

    Rudolf Zwirner, Cologne, DE

     

    1987 New Edition Prints and Monotypes by Christopher Le Brun, Nigel 

    Greenwood Gallery, London, UK

     

    1986 Sperone Westwater, New York, NY

     

    1985 Nigel Greenwood Gallery, London, UK

    The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, UK

    Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, UK

    Kunsthalle, Basel, CH

     

    1983 Sperone Westwater, New York, NY

     

    1982 Nigel Greenwood Gallery, London, UK

     

    1981 Paintings, Gillespie-Laage-Salomon, Paris, FR

     

    1980 Drawings, Nigel Greenwood Gallery, London, UK

     

     

    Select Group Exhibitions

     

    2022 The Endless Summer, albertz benda | Friedman Benda, 

    Los Angeles, CA

    Liljevalchs 100 years, Jubilee 2021, Liljevalchs Konstall, 

    Stockholm, SE

    Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK      

     

    2021 Transcendence and Rén Jian, Su Xingping and Christopher 

    Le Brun, CAFA Museum, Beijing, CN

    Explorations in Paint, Collections Gallery, Royal Academy of Arts, 

    London, UK 

    Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK

    Brie Ruais and Christopher Le Brun, McClain Gallery, Houston, TX

    Group Show, MG Space, Beijing, CN

    Environmental Reflections, Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, 

    Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA

     

    2020-21 Jinan International Biennale, Shandong Art Museum, 

    Shandong, CN

    Selected works in London, Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Love, Life, Death and Desire, Yale Center for British Arts, 

    New Haven, CT

     

    2020 Intellective City, Design Society, Shenzhen, CN

    Horizon, Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK

    20:20: Twenty Years of Collecting Contemporary Art, 

    The New Art Gallery Walsall, Walsall, UK

     

    2019-20 Brink: Caroline Lucas Curates the Towner Collection, 

    Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne, UK

     

    2019 Romantics, St. Barbe Museum and Art Gallery, Lymington, UK

    Gallery 181, with albertz benda, 181 Fremont Street, 

    San Francisco, CA

    Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK

    Drawing Biennials 2019, The Drawing Room, London, UK

     

    2018 Under the Nigh Sky, alberz benda, New York, NY

    L, Frac Íle-de-France, Bussy-Saint-Martin, FR

    Selected Drawings from the Richard Schlee Collection of Drawings, 

    Southampton City Art Gallery, Southampton, UK

    Odyssey: A 35-Year Journey, Thomas Deans Fine Art, Atlanta, GA

    Evolver, L.A. Louver, Los Angeles, CA

    The Great Spectacle, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK

    Print Rebels, Bankside Gallery, London; Burton Art Gallery, 

    Devon; The school of Art Museum and Galleries, Aberystwyth, UK

     

     2017 Capture the Castle: British Artists and the Castle, from Turner to

    Le Brun, Southampton Art Gallery, Southampton, UK

    Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, The Royal Academy, 

    London, UK

    Seen on Impact, Robert Kuo, New York, NY

    Drawing Biennial, The Drawing Room, London, UK

    Contemporary Royal Academicians, Chapel Arts, Cheltenham, UK 

    Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, Mall Galleries, 

    London, UK 

     

    2016 Academicians IV, Glasgow Print Studio, Glasgow, UK
    Towards Night, Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne, UK
    Vital Signs, Palazzo Lanfranchi, Pisa, IT
    Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London, UK
    The Romantic Thread in British Art, Southampton City Art Gallery, 

    Southampton, UK
    Drawings from the Royal Drawing School, Christie’s, New York, NY

     

    2015 Don’t shoot the Painter, work from the UBS Art Collection, 

    Villa Reale d’Arte, Milan, IT

    Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London, UK

    5x5 Other Voices, Litvak Contemporary, Tel Aviv, IL

    Vital Signs, Clifford Chance Gallery, London, UK

     

    2014 Reception, Rupture and Return: The Model and the Life Room, 

    Tate Britain, London, UK

    Rome Literary Festival, Basilica of Massenzio, Rome, IT

    Barratto, Galleria Bonomo, Rome, IT

    I cheer a dead man's sweetheart, De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, UK 

    Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London, UK

    Beyond Limits, Chatsworth, Derbyshire, UK

     

    2013 Das Ultimative Bild, Raab Galerie Berlin, Berlin, DE

    One of a Kind, Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

     

    2012 Encounter the Royal Academy in the Middle East, 

    Katara Cultural Village, Doha, QA

    RA Now, exhibition and auction Burlington Gardens, 

    Royal Academy, London, UK

    Encounter The Royal Academy in Asia, Institute of Contemporary 

    Arts, Lasalle, SG

    The Queen’s Artists, John Madejski Fine Rooms, Royal Academy, 

    London, UK

    Summer Exhibition 2012, Royal Academy, London, UK

    Francis Bacon to Paula Rego: Great Artists, Abbott Hall Art Gallery, 

    Kendal, UK 

    The Mechanical Hand - 25 Years of Printmaking at Paupers Press, 

    Kings Place Gallery, London + University Gallery, 

    Newcastle, UK

     

    2011 Watercolour, Tate Britain, London, UK

    Sculpture, Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

    Fine Form: The Horse in Art, Summerfield Gallery, University of 

    Gloucestershire, Cheltenham Museum and Art Gallery, UK

    Elements of Nature - Selections from the Frederick R. Weisman Art

    Foundation, Brevard Art Museum, Melbourne, FL 

    Woolworth, Souspression, a Chatellerault, Ecole d'Arts Plastiques, 

    Centre d'art Contemporain, Chatellerault, FR

    Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK

     

    2010 Modernist Realism: The School of London from Andrews to 

    O’Donoghue, James Hyman Gallery, London, UK

    Gallery Invited Artists, Annual Summer Exhibition, Hillsboro Fine 

    Art, Dublin, IE

    Henry Moore etchings and bronze sculptures by Christopher Le

    Brun, Bircham Gallery, Norfolk, UK

    Scultura Internazionale A Racconigi 2010 - Presente ed esperienza 

    del passato, International Sculpture Biennale, Carrara, IT

    Layers: John Moores Contemporary Painting Prize Show, 

    Seongnam Art Centre, Gyeonggi-do, KR

    Inspired by Soane: Artworks by Contemporary artists, architects & 

    Designers, Sir John Soane’s Museum, London, UK

     

    2009 - 2010 Artist’s Proof, Chester Beatty Library, Dublin touring to Wexford,

    Bristol, Bray, Belfast, Monaghan

    7th British International Mini Print Exhibition, invited artist, 

    Printmakers Council Gallery, London, UK

     

    2009 Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK

    Rauminszeneriungen, Schlosspark Wendlinghausen, 

    Dörentrup, DE

    Past, Present, Future #2, Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

    Watercolour in Britain: Travelling with Watercolour, Norwich Castle 

    Museum, touring to Millennium Gallery Sheffield, Laing 

    Gallery Newcastle and Tate Britain, UK

     

    2008 Hugh Stoneman: The Printmaker’s Studio, Tate St Ives, 

    Cornwall, UK

    Exacting Standards a tribute to Hugh Stoneman, master printer 

    1947-2005, Lemon Street Gallery, Truro, Cornwall, UK

    On Time, Courtauld Institute East Wing Collection 8, Courtauld 

    Institute Galleries, London, UK

    Brilliant, Northern Print, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    Buren, Deacon, Le Brun, Wallinger, Whiteread, Ebbsfleet 

    Landmark Proposals, Bluewater, Kent, UK

    Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK

    Four Painters, Thomas Deans Fine Art, Atlanta, GA

    UBS Openings: Paintings from the 1980’s, Tate Modern, 

    London, UK

    Fresh Out of the Box: Recent Acquisitions, The New Art Gallery, 

    Walsall, UK

    Winter Journey, Art Space Gallery, Michael Richardson

     Contemporary Art, London, UK

     

    2007 Venice: City of Dreams? Sotheby's London, UK

    Sweet Powder, Prints from Atelier Michael Woolworth, Grande 

    Galeries –Aitre, Saint-Maclou, Ecole Regionale des Beaux-

    Arts Rouen, FR

    Modern Art Now: From Hockney to Hepworth to Hirst, touring to 

    four National Trust houses and the Aldeburgh Festival: 

    Nunnington Hall, Stowe School, Aldeburgh Festival, Erddig,

    and Petworth House, UK

    Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK

    Group Show, (Ayres, Frost, Le Brun, Virtue), The Drawing Schools 

    Gallery, Eton College, Windsor, UK

    Land, Sea and in the Air, Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

    The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, UK

     

    2006 Morandi’s Legacy: Influences on British Art, Abbot Hall Art Gallery, 

    Kendal, touring to the Estorick Collection, London, UK

    Cross Reference, Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

    Anthropography III, Frissiras Museum, Athens, GR

    Drawing Inspiration, Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria, UK

    Gardens of Earthly Delight, Flowers Graphics, London, UK

    Spotlight - Works on Paper by Twentieth Century and 

    Contemporary Artists, Thomas Deans Fine Art, Atlanta, GA

    Literary Circles, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK

    Drawing from Turner, Tate Britain, London, UK

     

    2005 Contemporary Voices, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

    The Spirit of Landscape in British Printmaking, V&A, London, UK

    Drawings, Hillsboro Fine Art, Dublin, IE

    Gardens of Earthly Delight, Chester Beatty Library, Dublin and Irish 

    tour and to Flowers Graphics, London, UK

    International Artists, Hillsboro Fine Art, Dublin, IE

    Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK

     

    2004 Wiedergefundene Malerei, Paintings by Christopher Le Brun, Gerd 

    van Dulmen, Markus Lupertz, Odd Nerdrum, Thomas 

    Schindler, Raab Galerie, Berlin, DE

    Presence, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, UK

    Bestiae Animatae (Bezielde Dieren), Cobra Museum voor Moderne 

    Kunst, Amstelveen, NL

    A Particular View, Galleria Alessandro Bagnai, exhibited in 

    Florence and Siena, IT

     

    2003 Escuela de Londres, Marlborough Madrid and Centro Cultural Caja 

    De Granada; Puerta Real, Granada, ES

    Representing the World, Frisseras Museum, Athens, GR

    Unpacked II, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, AU

    Hope Sufferance - Contemporary British Art in Print, Graphic Studio 

    Gallery, Dublin, IE

    Christopher Le Brun, Bill Jacklin, Prints, North House Gallery, Manningtree, UK

    Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK

    Sterling Stuff - Sculpture in Silver, Royal Academy, London, UK

     

    2002 Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK

     

    2001 Art Works. British and German Contemporary Works from the 

    Collection 1960-2000, Deutsche Bank, London, UK

    20th Century British Art, James Hyman Fine Art, London, UK

    New Commissions, New Art Centre Sculpture Park, Roche Court, 

    Wiltshire, UK

     

    2000 Modern art despite Modernism, Museum of Modern Art, 

    New York, NY

    Recent Portrait Commissions, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK

    Encounters: New Art from Old, The National Gallery, London, UK

    Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK

    The Landscape Revisited, (Le Brun, Hodgkin, Bartlett),
    The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX

    Le Brun, Campbell, Oulton, Davies, Raab Galerie, 

    Berlin, DE

    Anatomy of Melancholy, Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

    Bronze: an exhibition of contemporary sculpture, 

    Holland Park, London, UK

    Painting and Patronage, Faisalia Building, Riyadh, SA

    Deutsche Bank, London, UK

    Assig, Kirkeby, Le Brun, Plensa, Tal-Coat, Galerie Vidal 

    Saint-Phalle, Paris, FR

    Painting, Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

    New Art Centre Sculpture Park and Gallery, Roche Court, 

    Wiltshire, UK

     

    1999 Contemporary British Landscape, Flowers East, London, UK

    Light of the World, Edinburgh City Art Centre, Edinburgh, SC

    ’45-99 A Personal View of British Painting and Sculpture, selected

     by Bryan Robertson Kettles Yard Cambridge, travelling to 

    City Art Gallery, Leicester, UK

     

    1998 Isn’t it too early for the eighties yet? Centre for Contemporary Arts, 

    Malmö, SE

     

    1997 Christopher Le Brun, Ludwig Vandevelde Recent Work, Galerie 

    Fortlaan17, Ghent, BE

     

    1996 Christopher Le Brun, Piero Pizzi Cannella, Jaume Plensa, Galerie

    Vidal-Saint Phalle, Paris, FR

    The East Wing Collection of Contemporary Art, Courtauld Institute 

    Galleries, London, UK

    A Century of European Prints, Marlborough Graphics, London, UK

    Recent Publications, Marlborough Graphics, London, UK

     

    1995 Dialogue with De Kooning, Royal College of Art, London

    An American Passion, The Susan Kasen Summer and 

    Robert D. Summer Collection of Contemporary British

    Painting, McLellan Galleries, Glasgow and to Royal College 

    of Art, London, UK

    Impressions of Nature, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

    Art Works: The Paine Webber Collection of Contemporary Masters, 

    Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, tour to Detroit, MI, 

    Boston, MA, Minneapolis, MN, San Diego, CA, 

    and Miami, FL

    Contemporary British Art in Print, Scottish National Gallery of 

    Modern Art, Edinburgh; Yale Centre for British Art, 

    New Haven; McNay Museum, San Antonio, TX

     

    1994 Accrochage, Marlborough Fine Art, London, UK

    Extremes Meet, Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent, BE

    Le Brun, Campbell, Oulton, Marlborough Gallery Inc, New York, NY

     

    1993 Mixed Exhibition, February, Marlborough Fine Art, London, UK

    De Chirico et ses Conséquences Post-Métaphysiques, 

    Artcurial, Paris, FR

    Modern Graphic Art in Britain, British Museum, London, UK

    Painters as Printmakers, Art Space Gallery, London, UK

    Drawing on these Shores, Harris Museum, Preston and touring UK

    Contemporary Prints, Recent Gifts to the Collection, Tate Gallery, 

    London, UK

     

    1992 Des Dessins, Centre Scolaire et Sportif des Deux Thielles le

    Landeron ; Kunstsammlung Basel, Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Basel, CH

     

    1991 Melankoli: Nordisk Romantisk Malerie, Aarhus Kunstmuseum, 

    Aarhus, DK

     

    1990 The Reconsecration of Abstraction, Thaddeus Ropac Gallery, 

    Salzburg, AT

    The Art of Drawing, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, NO

    British Art Now: A Subjective View, British Council exhibition in 

    JP; travelled to Setegaya Museum Fukuoka Museum, 

    Nagoya, City Art Museum, Tochiga Museum of Fine Arts, 

    Hyogo Museum of Modern Art and Hiroshima City Museum 

    of Contemporary Art, JP

     

    1989 The School of London, Works on Paper, Odette Gilbert Gallery, 

    London, UK

    Singular Visions, Mead Gallery, University of Warwick; Pomeroy 

    Purdy Gallery, London, UK

    The Forces of Nature, Manchester City Art Gallery; Harris Museum

     and Art Gallery Preston, UK

     

    1988 Artists in National Parks, V&A Museum, London, UK

    The British Picture, L.A. Louver, Venice, CA

    The Romantic Tradition, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, UK; El Circulo 

    de Bellas Artes, Madrid, SP

    Collaborations in Monotype, University Art Museum, University of 

    California, Santa Barbara; Huntington Art Gallery, University 

    of Texas, Austin; Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

    Les Années 80: A la surface de la Peinture, Centre d’Art 

    Contemporain, Abbaye Saint-André, Meymac, FR

    R.O.S.C. ‘88, The Guinness Hop Store, Dublin, IE

    An Eclectic Eye, Selections from the Frederick R.Weisman Art 

    Foundation, Bridge Centre for Contemporary Art, 

    El Paso, TX

    The New British Painting, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati 

    travelled to Chicago and North Carolina

     

    1987-88 Selections from the Frederick R. Weisman Collection, Baltimore 

    Museum of Art & tour, Baltimore, MA

     

    1987  The Golden Thread, Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston, UK

    Current Affairs: British Painting and Sculpture in the 1980’s, 

    Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, travelling to: 

    Mucsarnok, Budapest; National Gallery, Prague and 

    Zacheta, Warsaw 

    Paintings & Monotypes, (Le Brun, Oulton, Walker), Pamela

    Auchincloss Gallery, Santa Barbara, L.A. Louver Gallery, Venice, CA

    Avant-Garde in the Eighties, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 

    Los Angeles, CA

    London/Berlin, Ingrid Raab Gallery, London, UK

    Malerei in Europa II, Karl Pfefferle Gallery, Munich, DE

    Introducing With Pleasure: Selections from the Arts Council 

    Collection, Royal Festival Hall, London, touring to Brighton, 

    Plymouth, Rochester, Stockport & Durham, UK

    Art Brittiskt 1980, Tal, Liljevalchs Museum, Stockholm, SE

    Britannia - Paintings and Sculpture of the 1980’s, Sara Hilden 

    Museum, Tampere, FI

    Cries and Whispers - New Works from the British Council 

    Collection, touring AU and NZ

    Land: Sea: Air, Herbert Read Gallery, Canterbury College of Art 

    and Design; Djangoly Gallery, Nottingham University, 

    Nottingham, UK

    Viewpoint - British Art of the 1980’s, The Royal Museum of Fine 

    Arts, Brussels, BE

    Prints, Laurie Rubin Gallery, New York, NY

    Myth and Mystery, Maloney Gallery, Santa Monica, CA

    Prints from the Collection, Tate Gallery, London, UK

     

    1986 Forty Years of Modern Art, Tate Gallery, London, UK

    Second Sight - Biennale IV, Museum of Modern Art, 

    San Francisco, CA

    Matière Première, CAC Corbeil, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Calais 

    and Galerie Municipale d’Art Contemporain Saint-Priest, FR

    Falls the Shadow: Recent British and European Art, Hayward 

    Gallery, London, UK

    Tradition and Innovation, Harmony Hill Arts Centre, 

    Lisburn, IE

    Twelve British Artists, Künstlerhaus, Vienna, AT

    American/European Painting and Sculpture, L.A. Louver Gallery, 

    Venice, CA

    Forty Works on Paper, Ingrid Raab Gallery, London, UK

     

    1985 Selections from the William J. Hokin Collection, Museum of 

    Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL

    The British Show, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, touring to 

    – Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Queensland Art 

    Gallery, Brisbane; Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne; NZ National Gallery, Wellington, AU

    Nouvelle Paris Biennale, Paris, FR

    Romanticism and Primitivism in Art, Lowenadler Gallery, 

    New York, NY

    Modern Landscape, Sunderland Arts Centre, Sunderland, UK

    Horses in 20th Century Art, Nicola Jacobs Gallery, London, UK

    Phase II, Stadmuseum, Graz, AT

    One City a Patron, Southampton City Art Gallery; 

    touring to Glasgow, Dundee, Perth, Ayr and Edinburgh

     

    1984 Il Riso del Universo, San Giovanni Valdarno, Florence Arte allo

    Specchio, Venice Biennale

    An International Survey of Recent Painting and Sculpture, 

    Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

    Sperone Westwater, New York, NY

    Currents, I.C.A., Boston, MA

    Eine misslungene Ausstellung, Galerie Tanit, Munich, BE

    Dessins, Gillespie-Laage-Salomon, Paris, FR

    The Image as Catalyst, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK

    Artists Design for Dance, Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, UK

     

    1983 The Granada Collection - Recent British Paintings and Drawings, 

    Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, UK

    Tema Celeste, Museo Civico d’Arte Contemporanea, 

    Gibellina, Sicily, IT

    La Forma e L’Informe, Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Bologna, IT

    New Art, Tate Gallery, London, UK

     

    1982-83 Myth, Bonlow Gallery, New York, NY

     

    1982 Whitechapel Open, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, UK

    Vision in Disbelief, Sydney Biennale, Sydney, AU

    Mythe, Drame, Tragédie, Musée d’Art Moderne, Sainte-Étienne

    Aperto ‘82, Venice Biennale, Venice, IT

    Zeitgeist, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, DE

     

    1981-82 Thirteen British Artists - An Exhibition about painting, Neue Galerie-

    Sammlung Ludwig, Aachen; touring to - Kunstverein 

    Mannheim; Kunstverein Braunschweig; Bündner 

    Kunstverein, CH

     

    1981 Enciclopedia, Galleria Civica, Modena, IT

    Fragments against Ruins, Arts Council Exhibition, Midland Group

    Exhibition and tour 

    XIII Festival international de la Peinture 1981, Cagnes-sur-Mer, FR

     

    1980 Nigel Greenwood Gallery, London, UK

    Nuova Immagine, Palazzo della Triennale, Milan, IT

    Whitechapel Open, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, UK

    John Moores Exhibition XII, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK

     

    1979 Summer Show III, Serpentine Gallery, London, UK

    The Craft of Art, Peter Moores Exhibition VI, Walker Art Gallery, 

    Liverpool, UK

     

    1978 John Moores Exhibition XI, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK

     

    1977 London Group, Camden Arts Centre, London, UK

     

    1975 London Group, Camden Arts Centre, London, UK

     

     

    Awards

     

    2021 Knighthood, New Year Honours List

     

    2020 IP Project Board, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK

    Emeritus Trustee, Royal Drawing School, London, UK

     

    2019 Honorary Member, Royal West of England Academy, 

    Bristol: HRWA

     

    2017 Vice President of the Turner Society, London, UK

    Honorary Member, Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, 

    London: HRE

     

    2016 Honorary Member, Royal Watercolour Society, London: HRWS

     

    2015 Prince George’s birthday sovereign coin commission, Royal Mint 

    Member, Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, London: RI

     

    2014 The Sacred Desert, stained glass window commission, 

    Saw Swee Hock 

    Faith Centre, London School of Economics

     

    2013 Film Commission, Re-imagining the line, Tate Gallery Media, 

    London, UK

     

    2009 Sculpture Commission, Wing Column - Monument to Victor Hugo, 

    St Heiler, Jersey

     

    2008 Sculpture Commission, City Wing, Stock Exchange Site, 

    London, UK

     

    2005 Turner Medal Watercolour Prize, RA Summer Exhibition

    Sculpture Installation, Union, Museum of London

     

    1996 Commission, Portrait of George Steiner, National Portrait Gallery

     

    1995-1996 Commission, The Parables, Jerusalem Trust for Liverpool Cathedral

     

    1992-1997 Painting Commission, Wagner, Private Commission based on the 

    Ring Cycle

     

    1984 Design Commission, Revival of a Ballet Imperial, 

    Royal Opera House, London

     

    1983 Printmakers Commission Award, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

     

    1980 Prize Winner, John Moores XII, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

     

    1978 Prize Winner, John Moores XI, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

     

     

    Literature

     

    Dempster, Anna and Christopher Le Brun. Diptychs. London: Lisson Gallery, 2019. 

     

    Street, Ben. New Painting. London: Lisson Gallery, 2018. 

     

    Dempster, Anna. Doubles. London: Ridinghouse, 2018. 

     

    Allen, Ruth. The Classical Now. Eds. Michael Squire, James Cahill, and Ruth Allen. London: Elephant Publishing, 2018. 

     

    Rose, Barbara. Composer. New York: Albertz Benda, 2017. 

     

    Godfrey, Tony. New Paintings. Berlin: Arndt, 2016. 

     

    Le Brun, Christopher. Colour. New York: Colnaghi, 2015. 

     

    Le Brun, Christopher. New Paintings. London: Ridinghouse, 2014.

     

    Le Brun, Christopher. Representation. Paper delivered to Royal Academy Forum 2004 Architectural Review. November 2004.

     

    Le Brun, Christopher. Christopher Le Brun. London: Booth-Clibborn Editions, 2001.

     

    Le Brun, Christopher. Christopher Le Brun: Etchings, 1992-1994. London: Marlborough Graphics Ltd, 1994.

     

    Le Brun, Christopher. Christopher Le Brun. Walsall: New Art Gallery Walsall, 2008.

     

    Le Brun, Christopher.  Christopher Le Brun. London: Ridinghouse, 2014.

     

     

    Select Press

     

    2021

    Laud, Georgina. "New Year's Honours list in Full: Who has been honoured by Queen?," Express. January 4, 2021. 

     

    2020

    "Le Brun: "Painter Christopher Le Brun: Painting is a way of thinking,” CGTN News. January 15, 2020. 

     

    "Love, Life, Death, and Desire at the Yale Center for British Art,” Art & Object. October 19, 2020. 

     

    Solomon, Tessa. "Christopher le Brun and Stephen Deuchar Have Been Knighted," ARTnews. December 31, 2020. 

     

     

    2019

    Bowling, Mary Jo. “Art and Soul,” Luxe. January 2019. Ills. pp. 78-79. 

     

    "Christopher Le Brun’s First Solo Exhibition in China, ‘Diptychs,’ Opened at Lisson Gallery,” Artron. November 5, 2019 

     

    Calder, Cal Reverly. "Bold Experiments from the Man who Might Have Changed British Art," The Telegraph. December 6, 2019

     

    2018

    Moffitt, Will. "The Tastemakers 2018: The 50 Most Influential People in London's Art and Design Scene," Gentleman's Journal. no. 27, (Jul./ Aug. 2018), ills. pp. 140-1. 

     

    "Top London Art Shows this Week: Christopher Le Brun to Azzedine Alaia,” Blouin Art.July 5, 2018. 

     

    Waugh, Rosemary. "Christopher Le Brun Review," Time Out. July 10, 2018. 

     

    "Christopher Le Brun," The Week. July 14, 2018. 

     

    Lucie-Smith, Edward. "Christopher Le Brun Tranquil and Elegant - Lisson Gallery," Artylst. July 30, 2018.

     

    2017

    Medford, Sarah. “A Heavenly (and Colorful) Getaway in Mallorca,” 

    The Wall Street Journal Magazine. September 30, 2017.

     

    “Christopher Le Brun: A Symphony of Colour,” A3 Editorial. June 1, 2017.

     

    Ayers, Robert. “Ocula Insight: Christopher Le Brun,” OCULA. April 2017.

     

    “Joy has to be part of the vocabulary of art: Q & A with Christopher Le Brun,” Apollo Magazine. March 2017.

     

    Carrigan, Margaret. “Review: Christopher Le Brun at the Gallery at Windsor, Vero Beach Florida, and Albertz Benda, New York,” Modern Painters. 

    March 29, 2017.

     

    Roffino, Sara. “Christopher Le Brun,” Art + Auction. March 2017.

     

    Cohen, Alina. “This Season, Art Gets Noisey,” T Magazine. February 16, 2017.

     

    Rose, Barbara. “Christopher Le Brun with Barbara Rose,” The Brooklyn Rail. February 1, 2017.

     

    McCabe, Katie. “In the Studio: Christopher Le Brun PRA,” Artists & Illustrators Magazine. January 2017. 

     

    2016

    Pobric, Pac. “Royal Academy President to show new compositions in US,” The Art Newspaper. December 13, 2016.

     

    Karnes, Andrea. “A View Colored Rose,” Patron Magazine. October/November 2016.

     

    2015

    “Photos of the Day: June 3,” The Wall Street Journal. June 3, 2015.

     

    Gayford, Martin. Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition Reviewed: A Jumble Sale with Pizzazz, The Spectator. June 6, 2015

     

    2014

    “Short Takes: Contemporary Chatsworth,” Elle Decoration. November 2014.

     

    Crichton-Miller, Emma. “Beyond Limits: Sotheby’s sculpture park at Chatsworth,” October 17, 2014. 

     

    Kinberger, Charlotte. “Don’t Miss Christopher le Brun’s “New Paintings,” Whitewall Magazine. October 14, 2014. 

     

    Qizilbash, Ashraf. “Christopher Le Brun,” Under the Influence. Fall/Winter 2014.

     

    “Cultured 25.” Cultured. Fall 2014.

     

    Luke, Ben. “Painting the Mystery,” Royal Academy of Arts Magazine. 

    Autumn 2014. 

     

    Cohen, David. “ARTCRITICAL PICK: Christopher Le Brun at Friedman Benda.” 

    Artcritical. September 18, 2014.

     

    Spalding, Jill. “Christopher Le Brun Interview,” studio international. 

    September 17, 2014.

     

    Phillips, Sam. ‘Beyond Limits’ at Chatsworth House,” Blog l Royal Academy of 

    Arts. September 17, 2014. 

     

    Laluyan, Oscar A. “Christopher Le Brun: At Once Covered and New.” Arte Fuse. 

    September 15, 2014.

     

    “Agenda.” Bamboo. September 2014.

     

    Kunitz, Daniel.  “Kunitz, Daniel. “Serious Pleasures: Christopher Le Brun’s 

    Enduring Ambition Plays Out on Canvas,” ARTINFO.  September 2014.

     

    “Openings: New Shows, New Spaces.” Whitewall Magazine. September 2014.

     

    Street-Porter, Janet. “The irresistible charms of Chatsworth and its owner,” 

    The Independent. September 26, 2014. 

     

    Spalding, Jill. “Christopher Le Brun Interview.” Studio International. 

    September 17, 2014.

     

    Ranscombe, Siân. “Christopher Le Brun, President of the RA, remembers working in his studio, 1986.” The Telegraph. July 11, 2014.

     

    “Spiritual desert theme for LSE’s new Faith Center window.” The London School of Economics and Political Science. May 12, 2014.

     

    “Christopher Le Brun – New Paintings,” Whitewall Magazine. Summer 2014. 

     

    “Market news,” The Telegraph. April 8, 2014.

     

    2013

    Caines, Matthew. “Arts Head: Christopher Le Brun, president, Royal Academy of Arts,” The Guardian. July 2, 2013.

     

    2012

    Caines, Matthew. “Arts Head: Christopher Le Brun, president, Royal Academy of Arts,” The Guardian. July 2, 2013.

     

    Collings, Matthew. “The Painter President,” Royal Academy of Arts Magazine. Summer 2012.

     

    Ortiz, Erik. “Kate Middleton goes for royal glamour in grey during glitzy event,” NY Daily News. July 30, 2012.

     

    Everett, Lucinda. “Christopher le Brun on the best royal portraits,” Telegraph. 

    February 14, 2012.

     

    2011

    “Christopher Le Brun Becomes President of Royal Academy of the Arts,” Artforum. December 12, 2011.

     

    Russeth, Andrew. “Royal Academy Elects Christopher Le Brun President,” 

    GalleristNY. December 2011.

     

    Brown, Mark. “Royal Academy picks first painter in 20 years to be its president,”

    The Guardian. December 9, 2011

     

    “Christopher Le Brun becomes Royal Academy president,” BBC News. 

    December 9, 2011.

     

    “Royal Academy Summer Exhibition: The Show Critics Love to Hate,” Huffington 

    Post. July 14, 2011.

     

    “New Christopher Le Brun Exhibition on View at Canary Wharf,” Art Daily. 

    August 2011.

     

    Ward, Ossian. “Summer Exhibition 2011: The Hangman Cometh,” Time Out London. June 3, 2011.

     

    2008

    O’Dell, Oginia. “Giant horse, steel nest and stacked cubes make Ebbsfleet shortlist,” The Guardian. October 1, 2008.

     

    “The Ebbsfleet Landmark shortlist,” The Guardian. May 7, 2008.

     

    “Christopher Le Brun – Fifty Etchings 2005 Opened at the Fitzwilliam Museum,” Art Daily. May 2008.

     

    Glover, Michael, “Christopher Le Brun, New Art Gallery, Walsall,” 

    The Independent. March 5, 2008.

     

    “Short List Revealed for Ebbsfleet’s Public Art Commission,” Artforum. 

    Jan 28, 2008.

     

    2006

    Powell, Cecilia. “Christopher Le Brun. Constructive, Investigative and Truthful” 

    (Interview), Turner Society News. August 2006.

     

    2004

    Glancey, Jonathan. “Chip off the old block,” The Guardian. March 8, 2004.

     

    1992

    Knight, Christopher. “Art Review: High Romance Meets High Tech in Pasadena,” LA Times. February 18, 1992.

     

    1985

    Collier, Caroline. “Exhibition review: Christopher Le Brun at Nigel Greenwood, London,” Flash Art no.124. October/November 1985.