Love & Landscape: Stanley Spencer in Suffolk is running at Gainsborough’s House in Sudbury until March 22, 2026.
It will then transfer to the Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham, Berkshire, from April 2 to November 1 2026.
The exhibition is the most ambitious dedicated to Spencer in a decade and brings together more than 20 works from the Stanley Spencer Gallery, alongside major loans from Tate, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Leeds Museums and Galleries, and private collections.
Calvin Winner, executive director, Gainsborough’s House, said: “Stanley Spencer is one of the greatest painters to emerge in Britain in the 20th century.
“His visionary and forceful imagination created some of the most memorable imagery of his times.
“We are delighted to partner with the Stanley Spencer Gallery, Cookham, in highlighting Spencer’s engagement with the Suffolk landscape as well as exploring for the first time the crucial role Suffolk played in his complex personal story.”
Although closely associated with Cookham, Berkshire, Spencer also had strong ties to Suffolk.
He spent time in Wangford and Southwold with his first wife, Hilda Carline, who had worked as a Land Girl in Wangford during the First World War.
The exhibition includes works reflecting Spencer’s connection to the Suffolk coast, where he returned seeking comfort during a difficult period in his life.
It also features personal items never before displayed, including Hilda Carline’s wedding suit, loaned by the artist’s family.
Dr Scot McKendrick, chair of trustees, Stanley Spencer Gallery, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Gainsborough’s House to bring Stanley Spencer to new audiences.
“Suffolk and its landscape provided the backdrop to two pivotal moments in Spencer’s love for Hilda Carline – at the beginning and end of their marriage.”