Peggy Guggenheim in London: the birth of a collection at Ca’ Venier dei Leoni

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice hosts the exhibition "Peggy Guggenheim in London. Birth of a Collection", curated by Gražina Subelytė and Simon Grant and published with a catalogue by Marsilio Arte.

The show reconstructs the story of Guggenheim Jeune, the London gallery founded in 1938 that staged 21 exhibitions over roughly 18 months and helped shape British modern art. The display brings together paintings, sculptures, objets d’art and archival materials that highlight Peggy Guggenheim’s early role as an adventurous patron and curator.

Exhibition highlights:

• Extensive documentation on the 21 shows presented at Guggenheim Jeune and their cultural context in the 1930s;
• Works and monographic focuses on artists such as Jean Cocteau, Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian;
• A section devoted to the British scene with artists like Reuben Mednikoff, Cedric Morris and Grace Pailthorpe;
• Presentation of Marie Vassilieff’s marionettes and puppets made for avant-garde theatre, including figures representing Francis and Clare of Assisi.

The exhibition provides a clear and well-documented overview of how Peggy Guggenheim, before establishing her famous New York gallery, assembled the foundations of a collection that would become central to modern art history.

Practical information: the exhibition is on view at Ca’ Venier dei Leoni in Venice. For opening hours, ticket prices and guided tours, please check the Peggy Guggenheim Collection’s official channels or contact the museum ticket office.