Don McCullin's Final Exhibition in Bath Reveals Roman Statue Photography
Art handlers meticulously test the positioning of a photograph in the forthcoming exhibition of work by renowned photojournalist Sir Don McCullin. This careful preparation sets the stage for a remarkable display at the Holburne Museum in Bath, where visitors will encounter a surprising and poignant side of the artist's oeuvre.
War, Conflict and Roman Sculptures: Bath Exhibit Shows Different Side of Don McCullin's Work
The Holburne Museum presents an extraordinary juxtaposition, placing McCullin's celebrated images of war and humanitarian crises alongside his previously unseen photographs of ancient Roman statues. This exhibition, titled Don McCullin: Broken Beauty, represents what the ninety-year-old photographer describes as his swansong to the medium he has mastered for over six decades.
McCullin told the Guardian: "I'm too old to work now. After sixty-odd years, I'm slightly tired of it all, really. I'm going to do this one last visit to the Vatican. And then I'm going to basically give up photography because I'm just simply physically too old. Your body, in a way, has the final say."
The Origins of a Fascination with Ancient Rome
McCullin's fascination with Roman statues began unexpectedly during the 1970s when he travelled to north Africa with writer Bruce Chatwin. Enchanted by the Roman ruins they encountered, this experience planted a seed that would grow into a significant photographic pursuit decades later.
He recalled: "When Bruce died in 1989, I was at a kind of crossroads in my life. I had this flashback of Bruce and me in this Roman town, so I rang my publisher and I said, I'd like to do a book about Roman cities. They didn't seem very enthusiastic about the idea, but they gave me quite a small advance and off I went."
This journey resulted in the publication of Southern Frontiers: A Journey Across The Roman Empire, a project that McCullin found particularly thrilling because it allowed him to step outside his established safety zone as a conflict photographer.
Creating the Exhibition: Technique and Vision
In more recent years, McCullin has visited museums across the United States and Europe, often arranging access before or after public opening hours. This privileged access provided him with the space and solitude necessary to study and photograph the ancient sculptures without distraction.
One of the most striking technical features of his sculpture photographs is the use of jet black backgrounds. McCullin explained this artistic choice: "I think it's part of my soul, really. There's a dark side of me because of the war and the tragedy."
Chris Stephens, director of the Holburne Museum, elaborated on this distinctive visual element: "The black has a sort of almost physical quality. It's actual 'stuff'. The intensity of that black is phenomenal."
Beyond the War Photographer Label
Throughout his career, McCullin has resisted being pigeonholed as solely a war photographer. He asserted: "I'm a photographer the way somebody who would paint pictures would be called an artist. I went out of my way to show that I was capable of photographing the English landscape and objects of beauty. I haven't stayed in one mindset. I've moved around with my thinking and I'm capable of doing all kinds of photographic things."
The exhibition deliberately showcases this breadth by presenting the Roman statue photographs alongside McCullin's most famous works depicting soldiers and civilians in conflict zones including Vietnam, Cyprus and Northern Ireland.
The Significance of Resilience and Vulnerability
Stephens offered insight into the deeper meaning behind McCullin's Roman photography: "It's a reflection of the resilience of these things. They're two thousand years old and they're still there, but they are in ruins and the sculptures are broken and damaged. They're resilient but vulnerable and a reminder that civilisations come and go."
The museum director expressed particular excitement about presenting these never-before-seen photographs to UK audiences: "Around them, we've got a constellation of his work representing his key projects. One of the things we want to emphasise is that however horrific the subject matter, he's got this amazing empathy, and draws out the humanity of the people he's photographing."
Looking Toward a Peaceful Future
Following his final photographic expedition to the Vatican, McCullin plans to turn his attention to more peaceful pursuits closer to home. He revealed: "I've got a wonderful garden here in Somerset. I grew some dahlias last year and some tomatoes and I think I'm going to have another go this year and really expand my thrill of growing things."
Don McCullin: Broken Beauty runs from 30 January through 4 May 2026 at the Holburne Museum in Bath, offering visitors a comprehensive view of an artist who has documented both humanity's darkest moments and its enduring artistic achievements.
