Three large-scale paintings by William Scott, a pioneer of British abstract art, have been loaned to the Museum of Somerset in Taunton. The works, from the Tate collection, are featured in a new exhibition exploring Scott's inspiration from everyday objects and his friendship with American artist Mark Rothko.
The exhibition, titled 'Beauty in Plainness – William Scott in Somerset', includes 'Ochre Still Life', depicting pots and pans, and 'Black Painting', an abstract representation of stone walls. Curator Tim Martin noted these were painted at the height of Scott's career in the late 1950s.
Scott met Rothko in New York in the early 1950s and was struck by the scale of abstract expressionist works. In 1959, Rothko visited Scott's home in Somerset, where they discussed murals: Scott was working on a piece for Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry, while Rothko was creating murals for the Seagram Building's restaurant in New York.
Rothko later withdrew from the Seagram commission, feeling the restaurant was inappropriate for his art, and donated nine canvases to the Tate. Scott's hospital mural was met with horrified silence at its unveiling.
The exhibition runs from 15 November to 7 February 2026, with a preview talk by Tim Martin on 14 November.
