Vanessa Bell’s Revolutionary Dinner Service
In 1932, the esteemed historian Kenneth Clark commissioned a unique ceramic dinner service from the renowned artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. Instead of a traditional design, he received an extraordinary collection of 48 plates, each intricately painted with the portrait of a notable woman, ranging from the legendary Queen of Sheba to the iconic Greta Garbo. Additionally, two plates featured the likenesses of the artists themselves.
This remarkable collection, known as the “Famous Women Dinner Service,” stands as a pivotal highlight in the exhibition “Vanessa Bell: A World of Form and Color,” currently showcased at MK Gallery in Milton Keynes through February 23. According to Anthony Spira, the director of MK Gallery and co-curator of the exhibition alongside Fay Blanchard, this work is recognized as one of the great feminist art pieces of the 20th century. He noted, “We are familiar with Judy Chicago’s ‘Dinner Party,’ but this is hardly known.”
The relative obscurity of Bell’s work is perhaps due to her identity as the sister of the famous writer Virginia Woolf. However, Vanessa Bell was a central figure in what became known as the Bloomsbury Group—a vibrant circle of intellectuals and artists that included not only Grant and Woolf but also her husband Clive Bell, the critic Roger Fry, economist John Maynard Keynes, and writer Lytton Strachey. The notoriety of this group and their gathering place, Charleston, a charming house in Sussex, has often overshadowed Bell’s individual contributions as a significant artist.
“A World of Form and Color” aims to rectify this oversight by presenting the largest and most comprehensive collection of Bell’s work to date. The exhibition features over 150 artworks, including seldom-seen paintings, as well as drawings, ceramics, furniture, textiles, and book covers, offering a rich exploration of Bell’s artistic legacy.
