Christie’s is delighted to present The Leaping Light: a private selling exhibition of 20th century British art. Taking its title from W. H. Auden’s 1935 poem ‘On This Island’, it brings together the work of Frank Auerbach, Barbara Hepworth, David Hockney, Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson and Bridget Riley.

The exhibition places particular emphasis on how these artists explored light. Many were informed by the distinctive luminosity they observed in various corners of England: from Cornwall – a touchstone for Hepworth, Nicholson and Riley – to Yorkshire, where Hockney found new inspiration after years on the sunlit Californian coastline. Moore, raised in the same county, placed his sculptural figures in direct dialogue with the landscape, allowing natural daylight to funnel through their forms. In London, meanwhile, Auerbach applied the lessons of the Old Masters to exquisite chiaroscuro depictions of his friends and neighbourhood.

Together, these artists had a transformative impact on the British art scene and beyond. Through the study of light, each sought to better understand the mechanics of human vision, asking vital questions about how we see the world. ‘“Let there be light!”’, said Hockney – ‘isn’t that the start of it all?’

Explore the exhibition at our King Street galleries from 24 September – 22 October, and delve further into its themes below.