VIPS, diginitaries and family members of one of Britain’s most respected painters gathered for the unveiling of his newest exhibition this weekend.

Sir Peter Bazalgette, chair of Arts Council England, cut the ribbon alongside Theresa May at the Sir Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham.

Saturday’s event marked the opening of ‘The Creative Genius of Stanley Spencer’ – an exhibition bringing together some of the UK’s largest and best Spencer collections for the first time.

On his first visit, Sir Peter congratulated the Gallery on the quality of the exhibition and hailed the Cookham painter as among the finest artists of the WWI period.

Sir Peter later tweeted: “The Creative Genius of Stanley Spencer opens with wonderful works from UK collections. And fab Guide”.

The exhibition brings together collections from Aberdeen City Art Gallery and Leeds City Art Gallery for the first time, alongside alongside paintings on loan from private collectors and the gallery’s own collection.

Among the guests assembled for the private view was John Spencer, the grandson of Sir Stanley.

Other dignitaries attending the Director of Tate National, Caroline Collier, supporters of the Gallery, Sir Hugh and Lady Stevenson; John Gill, Chair of Camden Arts Centre and several private owners who lent their Spencer paintings to the Gallery.

MP Mrs May – who served as Home Secretary in the last Parliament, praised the way gallery volunteers have “nurtured” the memory of Spencer and the inextricable link with his home village.

The exhibition runs at the gallery on Cookham High Street until March 20 next year.