A new exhibition that celebrates how the Malvern Hills became a "place of creative sanctuary and influence" for artists will open in March.

The new exhibition From the Cornish Coast to the Malvern Hills arrives at Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum on March 4 until July 1 2023.

The exhibition celebrates the links between Worcestershire and the Newlyn School of artists who were pivotal in this magical moment of British art.

British Impressionists characteristically painted ‘en plein air’ and, with free brushstrokes and joyful colours, focused on the interplay between working people, families at leisure and the landscapes they lived in.

The technique of painting in the open air rather than in a studio, allowed the painter to capture the momentary and transient effects of sunlight by working quickly, in front of their subject.

The exhibition includes paintings by Stanhope Forbes, Dame Laura Knight and Elizabeth Forbes. Camille and Lucian Pissarro represent the influence of French Impressionists.

Stanhope Forbes, along with Walter Langley, Elizabeth Forbes and others, choose the small Cornish fishing village of Newlyn to become the centre of a new movement in British Art, founding the Newlyn School in the 1880s.

Their paintings became highly regarded and were regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy. Many groups of interlinked artists following similar ideals and styles emerged around the country creating a new genre of art – British Impressionism.

There are many wonderful examples in the Worcester City Collection and this exhibition explores their impact and legacy on British art, and how the Malvern Hills became a place of creative sanctuary and influence for many artists.

The exhibition includes two works by Dame Laura Knight recently acquired for the Worcester City Collection. The artworks were purchased with support from Art Fund, the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, Worcestershire Heritage, Art & Museums Charity and kind donations from Art Gallery & Museum Members.

Deborah Fox, senior curator at the Art Gallery and Museum, said: “Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum is committed to bringing great art and artists to the region.

"This incredible selection of British Impressionist works shines a light on the importance of this moment in art, as well as being a joy to see."

For more information, please visit www.museumsworcestershire.org.uk