PAINTINGS by a famous artist, whose work hangs in some of the world s greatest collections, will be on display in Saffron Walden. To mark the opening of their 2009 season the Fry Art Gallery on Castle Street will exhibit the work of renowned Scottish pain

PAINTINGS by a famous artist, whose work hangs in some of the world's greatest collections, will be on display in Saffron Walden.

To mark the opening of their 2009 season the Fry Art Gallery on Castle Street will exhibit the work of renowned Scottish painter John Bellany.

Chairman of the Fry Art Gallery Society, Nigel Weaver, said: "We are delighted to be able to display paintings by this wonderful artist who has been living in the Saffron Walden area for some time now.

"This is a real coup for the gallery because it's the first time there has been an exhibition of his work in Essex."

John Bellany was born in 1942 at Port Seton, near Edinburgh. He came from a family of fishermen and many of his paintings are of the fishing communities in the area.

Works by Bellany have been acquired by Tate Britain in London and by the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum in New York, and he has exhibited widely in Europe and America.

The Fry Art Gallery will have 26 framed pictures by Bellany on display and a number of unframed pictures.

Many of the oil and watercolour paintings to be displayed are very recent works and a number feature subjects from north-west Essex. Others are of Scottish scenes and subjects.

As one of the best known Scottish figurative painters working today, Bellany has gained a huge reputation in the art world and in 1994 he was awarded a CBE by the Queen.

Bellany's paintings have been compared to Beckmann, Breughel and Rembrandt.

Entry to the exhibition is free and opens tomorrow (Sunday April 12) and runs until July 5.

The Fry Art Gallery is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 2pm to 5pm and also on Saturdays from 11am until 2pm.