British artist Jenny Saville, known for her monumental paintings of the female form, is the subject of a major survey exhibition titled "The Anatomy of Painting" at the National Portrait Gallery in London, which opened in June. The show traces her practice from the 1990s to the present day, featuring portrait heads and figures that push the boundaries of portraiture. Saville, who broke the auction record for a living female artist in 2018 when her self-portrait "Propped" (1992) sold for £9.5m at Sotheby's, discusses her influences—including Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, and Frank Auerbach—and her ongoing exploration of corporeality and painterliness in an interview with The Art Newspaper.
This exhibition matters because it addresses a notable gap in institutional recognition for Saville, particularly in the UK, where the Tate holds only one of her works on long-term loan. The survey at the National Portrait Gallery marks a significant moment for Saville, who has long received market acclaim but less institutional validation, and it underscores the evolving dialogue between figurative painting and contemporary art. The show also highlights Saville's unique position within the Young British Artists movement, from which she stood apart due to her deep engagement with art history.