Romantic Wales brings J.M.W. Turner to Carmarthenshire Museum

An exciting new exhibition, Romantic Wales: Turner and his contemporaries, is now open at Carmarthenshire Museum in Abergwili until 16 October 2026. The exhibition, supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund, brings together artworks by Romantic and Neo-Romantic artists inspired by the landscapes and heritage of Wales.

Visitors will see works by J.M.W. Turner in Carmarthenshire for the first time, including an early sketchbook from his visit to South Wales, alongside watercolours of Llandovery Castle and Llanddowror Mill. Paintings by leading Romantic artists of the 18th and 19th centuries, including David Cox Snr, Samuel Palmer and Richard Wilson, will also be on display.

The loans are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the Weston Loan Programme is the first ever UK-wide funding scheme to enable smaller and local authority museums to borrow works of art and artefacts from national collections.

Featuring works from the Tate, Amgueddfa Cymru and others, Romantic Wales explores how artists were inspired by Wales during a time of political and industrial change. Romantic artists including William Havell and Paul Sandby captured the nation’s distinctive landscapes and traditions for the first time, while later Neo-Romantics such as John Piper and Graham Sutherland powerfully reflect the impact of major 20th-century change.

Objects from the CofGâr collections, including prints, journals and travel guides, provide further insight into how Wales inspired artists and writers.

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, said: 

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."

A £5 donation is recommended for visitors to Carmarthenshire Museum. Find out more about the exhibition and opening times on the CofGâr website or by following CofGâr on social media.