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Arriving in London just as the Second World War was declared, Lee Miller, an American citizen without a permit to work, used photography as her principle means of contributing to the war effort. This exhibition charts Miller’s transformation from a studio photographer to a photojournalist. Her subsequent work as a war correspondent in Europe created some of the most defining images of twentieth-century conflict, yet her vital contribution to documenting Britain in the early years of the war has remained comparatively overlooked.
Curated for the gallery at Lee Miller’s East Sussex home, Farleys, the exhibition ‘Grim Glory: Lee Miller’s Britain at War’ presents a significant selection of photographs focusing on Miller’s coverage of the Blitz and the women’s war effort. Several of the images displayed haven’t been exhibited since war-time publication, or photographs that have never been printed before.
Farleys House & Gallery is open Thursday, Friday, Sunday & select Saturdays until October 30th. We strongly advise booking house tours in advance.
House Tours: Opening Times and Admissions - Farleys House & Gallery
Exhibition: Grim Glory: Lee Miller's Britain at War - Farleys House and Gallery
About Farleys House and Gallery
Tucked away in the Sussex countryside, Farleys served as more than just a residence for Lee Miller and Roland Penrose, but host to the some of the most influential and important artistic luminaries of the 20th Century. On moving to Farleys in 1949, Miller and Penrose transformed the traditional farmhouse into a vibrant sanctuary for the avant-garde, with guests such asPablo Picasso, Dorothea Tanning, Man Ray, Françoise Gilot and Henry Moore. Still holding a remarkable collection of modern art, today, Farleys House and Gallery is a house museum, gallery, sculpture garden and home to the Lee Miller Archives. Open from April-October annually, you can tour Lee and Roland’s home and enjoy the programme of exhibitions, workshops and events.
About the Lee Miller Archives
Over nearly five decades, the Lee Miller Archives have been preserving, licensing and supporting the legacies of photographer Lee Miller and artist Roland Penrose. With Lee Miller’s manuscripts & 60,000 negatives, Miller’s son, Antony Penrose and granddaughter, Ami Bouhassane have sought to re-establish Miller as one of the most important photographers of the 20th Century, from her Surrealist work to photojournalism as a female war correspondent during WWII. The Lee Miller Archives strives to educate, support and encourage the arts; working across worldwide exhibitions, publishing and research.
Image credit (main image): Lee Miller photographing Wrens, United Kingdom, 1943 by David E. Scherman © Lee Miller Archives, England 2026. All rights reserved.
Image credit (thumbnail): One Night of Love, London, England 1940 © Lee Miller Archives, England 2026. All rights reserved.