Last updated: 26 October 2026
Rose Wylie is the Kent painter, born in 1934, who makes big, fast-looking paintings that start with drawing. Here you will find the Rose Wylie prints you can buy from the Royal Academy shop, her recent shows, auction results, and our review of her 2026 RA exhibition.
Our take on Rose Wylie
Wylie’s recognition came late. Her first solo show was in 1985, she won the John Moores Painting Prize in 2014 and became a Royal Academician the same year, and in 2026 the RA gave her its Main Galleries for The Picture Comes First.
I reviewed that show in March. Her scale is the first thing you notice: “Wylie’s scale is not decorative. It is confrontational in a quiet way. The paintings demand distance, then reward close inspection.” She puts it more simply: “I like big paintings. I think it suggests confidence.”
Big paintings now cost big money, and a 2015 canvas sold for £292,100 at Christie’s in June. So Rose Wylie prints are the way in for most of us: the RA shop sells two editions, at £1,800 and £2,400.
Rose Wylie: the essentials
- Born in Hythe, Kent, in 1934, and still lives and works in Kent.
- Studied at Folkestone and Dover School of Art (1952 to 1956), then at the Royal College of Art (1979 to 1981).
- Won the John Moores Painting Prize in 2014 and was elected a Royal Academician on 10 December 2014.
- Appointed OBE in the 2018 Birthday Honours.
- Represented by David Zwirner since 2017.
Rose Wylie exhibitions: now on and recent
- Now on: Clever, Quick, Magnetic: The Art of Witty Banter, a group show curated by David Salle at Oklahoma Contemporary, 3 September 2026 to 11 January 2027. Free. There is no UK show on at the moment.
- Rose Wylie: The Picture Comes First, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 28 February to 19 April 2026, as announced by David Zwirner. Read our RA review.
- Rose Wylie: Henri, Egypt...Bette, Bear, David Zwirner, Paris, 2 April to 23 May 2026.
- Rose Wylie. Flick and Float, Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, 19 July to 5 October 2025.
Recent Rose Wylie auction results
Market signals
Averages over the last 36 months, in US dollars
Figures from the Artsy price database. Last checked: 26 October 2026.
Only a handful of Wylie paintings come up each year, and they tend to beat their estimates. Two recent lots:
- Sailing Boat, 2015, oil and graphite on canvas laid on canvas, in two parts, 181.2 x 305cm (71 1/4 x 120 1/8in). Sold for £292,100 at Christie’s London, Works from the Zabludowicz Collection, 25 June 2026.
- Palm Tree And Camel, 2012, oil and graphite on canvas collage laid down on canvas, in two parts, 182.3 x 330.7cm (71 3/4 x 130 1/4in). Sold for £256,000 against an estimate of £70,000 to £100,000 at Christie’s London, Monsoon: The Peter Simon Collection Day Sale, 15 October 2026.
Prices include buyer’s premium. Last checked: 26 October 2026.
Where to buy Rose Wylie prints
- Study for Red Twink, £2,400: a 2026 lithograph with four-part collage and a cut edge, 31 x 42.5cm (12 1/4 x 16 3/4in), edition of 40, from the Royal Academy shop. Our Study for Red Twink page has the full details.
- American History 2019, 2020, £1,800: a screenprint made for the RA Schools, 36 x 48cm (14 1/8 x 18 7/8in), signed and numbered from an edition of 40, from the Royal Academy shop.
- Exhibition catalogue, £15: the RA catalogue, reduced from £30, at the Royal Academy shop.
Our reviews featuring Rose Wylie
- Rose Wylie at the Royal Academy review: “not a retrospective spectacle but a measured presentation”.
Rose Wylie prints and editions on CoolCuration
Rose Wylie FAQs
How much do Rose Wylie prints cost?
The RA shop sells American History 2019, 2020 at £1,800 and Study for Red Twink at £2,400, both editions of 40. Her paintings sell at auction for six figures.
Where can I see Rose Wylie’s work now?
She is in a group show at Oklahoma Contemporary until 11 January 2027. Her RA survey closed on 19 April 2026, and there is no UK show on at the moment.
Is Rose Wylie a Royal Academician?
Yes. She was elected on 10 December 2014, the same year she won the John Moores Painting Prize.
Which gallery represents Rose Wylie?
David Zwirner has represented her since 2017.
More from CoolCuration
- RA Summer Exhibition 2026 review: Wylie was in this one too.
- Great Women Artists: the reference book to read after her show.
- Quentin Blake Courage print: another loose, drawn line you can own.
- Gifts for artists: our edit of presents for people who make things.
Think we’re missing something, got something wrong, or want to be featured? Contact us.
Main image: Rose Wylie in her studio in Kent, 2014. Photo: Studio International via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Cropped and framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates, prices, auction results and market figures last checked: 26 October 2026.
No Comments.