Ordovas presents Hanover Gallery, the first exhibition dedicated to Erica Brausen (1908-1992), the pioneering post-war gallerist who founded London's legendary Hanover Gallery and helped shape the course of modern and contemporary art in Britain.

Widely recognised for championing Francis Bacon, whom she represented during the formative years of his career, Brausen also introduced British audiences to major international artists including Alberto Giacometti, Germaine Richier, Jean Fautrier and Niki de Saint Phalle, while supporting British artists such as Lucian Freud, Richard Hamilton, Eduardo Paolozzi and William Turnbull.

Born in Düsseldorf, Brausen left Germany in 1930 and became part of Paris's vibrant artistic circles before settling in London in 1937. In 1948, she established the Hanover Gallery in Mayfair, creating one of the most influential venues for post-war art in Britain. A migrant, lesbian woman working in a male-dominated field, she was particularly supportive of émigré, female and queer artists.

The exhibition brings together significant loans from museum and private collections alongside archival material that illuminates Brausen's remarkable career. Highlights include Francis Bacon's Sketch for a Portrait of Lisa (1955), Alberto Giacometti's Diego au chandail (1954), Buste d'Annette IV (1962) and Femme qui marche (I) (1932), as well as major sculptures by Germaine Richier. Works by Lucian Freud, Richard Hamilton, Eduardo Paolozzi, Marlow Moss, Niki de Saint Phalle and Liliane Lijn further demonstrate the breadth of Brausen's vision and influence.

Curated in collaboration with Jane Alison, former Head of Visual Arts at the Barbican, the exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue featuring a new essay by Alison.

This is the second Ordovas exhibition to explore the legacy of pioneering female gallerists, following the success of Peggy Guggenheim and London in 2019.

Hanover Gallery will be held between 9 October and 11 December at the Ordovas, 25 Savile Row, London W1S 2ER