The Bedroom Triptych by Isobel Colville (Scottish 1935 - 2025).
Oil on canvas, signed, unframed, dated 1993
This triptych is the centrepiece of Isobel Colville’s collection — a 270cm interior that really shows the strength of her practice. The scale pulls you straight into the room, and the way she handled colour and pattern here is so confidently her.
The space feels lived‑in but slightly mysterious: the draped garment, the unmade bed, the vanity mid‑moment. Nothing is staged, yet everything feels intentional. It’s intimate and grand at the same time, which is what made her work so special.
I also love how the triptych format gives it that sense of rhythm — almost like a folding screen or room divider. It creates a gentle, cinematic sweep across the space. It’s a defining work within her legacy.
Originally from Glasgow, Isobel studied at Glasgow School of Art. Her career took her across the Atlantic to the United States and onto France, enriching her experience and perspective. In 1959, she united her life with fellow artist Ewen McAslan. The couple relocated to Canada in 1967, where Isobel dedicated herself to teaching and passionately advocating for women’s issues in the art world.
Each panel measures;
height 152cm / 60”
width 91cm / 36”
Total width of Triptych 276cm / 108”
Acquired from her estate with other unsigned and signed works.
