Her solo exhibitions include major presentations at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh (2000), the National Gallery in London (2008), and more recently a solo exhibition at the Pitzhanger (2025). Watt was appointed OBE in 2008 and elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2017. Her work is represented in numerous public collections, including the National Portrait Gallery, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and the Uffizi.

After the Bath depicts one of Watt’s earliest large-scale explorations of the female nude. The work situates the body within a moment of vulnerability and reflection. The luminous handling of paint across the figure’s skin lends the work a sculptural presence, recalling the influence of Ingres and the academic tradition, while the intimate domestic setting underscores Watt’s sustained interest in the dialogue between privacy and observation. Created at the cusp of her transition from portraiture to more meditative explorations of fabric and still life, the work stands as a key example of her early figurative practice.

Portrait of Simon Polli demonstrates Watt’s control of light and tone in capturing both likeness and atmosphere. The directness of the sitter’s pose is offset by the subtle modelling of flesh and fabric, underscoring Watt’s ability to merge traditional portraiture with a contemporary psychological intensity also explored in Head Study.

These Alison Watt works are brought to auction from the collection of Micky Johnson. Learn more about the collection.

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Auction Details

Wednesday 29 October 2025, 10.30am GMT
Dreweatts, Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE, UK
Bidding is available in person at our salerooms, online, by telephone or you can leave commission (absentee) bids.
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Viewing in London (Highlights):
Dreweatts, 16-17 Pall Mall, St James’s, London SW1Y 5LU
Monday 13 - Wednesday 15 October

Viewing in Newbury (Full sale):
Dreweatts, Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE, UK
Friday 24 – Tuesday 28 October (no Saturday viewing)

Further information:
General enquiries: + 44 (0) 1635 553 553 | pictures@dreweatts.com
Press enquiries: press@dreweatts.com