Relative values

The Wyeth Family: Three Generations of American Art
Dulwich Picture Gallery, until 22 August

The fifth room introduces us to Jamie Wyeth, born in 1946 and Andrew’s son. He has a very different technique and vision, best exemplified in the impressive broken colour dapple of light on water in such works as ‘Entrance, Monhegan Harbor’ (1973) or ‘Morning, Monhegan’ (1972). In these watercolours, Jamie’s solid technique sustains the interest which is lacking in his later work. Two large paintings in the sixth and last room project a folksy quasi-allegorical mood which is a highly uncongenial and inappropriate note on which to end such an exhibition. It’s at this point that the visitor might feel cheated of more top-quality works by Andrew Wyeth. Let’s hope that this show will not deter another museum from mounting a large-scale Andrew Wyeth retrospective, which would surely be as popular as it would be revelatory, and also no doubt a source of much debate among the critical fraternity.

On a completely different tack, if you fancy the refreshment of a bold and inventive painterly touch, then visit the Redfern Gallery (20 Cork Street, W1, until 29 July) for a show of the latest oil on paper paintings of Annabel Gault (born 1952). Gault paints the landscape of East Anglia and New Mexico with passionate intensity, revealing the structure of her surroundings through strongly directional paint marks. The central room at the Redfern, hung with four of her large evocations of New Mexico, has seldom looked so good. I think they’re ravishing, and some of the smaller paintings are equally delectable. Highly recommended.