Rare works by J.M.W. Turner go on display in the county for the first time as major exhibition celebrates Wales’s landscapes and artistic heritage.
A MAJOR new exhibition featuring works by celebrated British artist J.M.W. Turner has opened at Carmarthenshire Museum in Abergwili, bringing nationally significant artworks to the county for the first time.
Romantic Wales: Turner and his contemporaries is now open and will run until October 16, 2026. Supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund, the exhibition explores how Wales’s dramatic landscapes, castles and heritage inspired generations of Romantic and Neo-Romantic artists.
Among the highlights are works by J.M.W. Turner, including an early sketchbook from his tour of South Wales and watercolours depicting Llandovery Castle and Llanddowror Mill. The exhibition marks the first time Turner’s work has been displayed in Carmarthenshire.
Visitors can also enjoy paintings by renowned Romantic artists David Cox Snr, Samuel Palmer and Richard Wilson, alongside later Neo-Romantic works by John Piper and Graham Sutherland, illustrating how artists continued to draw inspiration from Wales throughout the 20th century.
The exhibition features loans from national collections including the Tate and Amgueddfa Cymru, made possible through the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Established by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the initiative helps smaller and local authority museums borrow important artworks from major collections across the UK.
In addition to the paintings and watercolours, objects from the CofGâr collections—including historic prints, journals and travel guides—offer visitors further insight into how Wales captured the imagination of artists and writers over the centuries.
Cllr Hazel Evans, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Romantic Wales to Carmarthenshire Museum. This exhibition brings together works of national and international importance to Carmarthenshire for the first time, while telling the story of Wales’s landscapes and heritage in a way that is accessible and engaging for everyone.”
Sophia Weston, Deputy Chair of the Garfield Weston Foundation, added: “As the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund celebrates its 10th year in 2026, we are very pleased to support this exhibition, which will bring precious artworks inspired by the local landscape to audiences in Carmarthenshire for the first time.”
The exhibition runs until October 16. Visitors are encouraged to make a suggested £5 donation on entry. Further information, including opening times, is available via CofGâr.
