Biography
Jen Hardie is a Director and Senior Specialist in Modern British Art at Sotheby’s. With over a decade of experience dedicated exclusively to Modern British & Irish Art, she brings particular expertise in the art of St Ives — especially Barbara Hepworth and Peter Lanyon — as well as the Bloomsbury Group.
Jen began her career at Sotheby’s in 2014 where she worked on major single-owner sales including the sale of David Bowie’s collection, Bowie/Collector (2016), Vivien: The Collection of Vivien Leigh (2017), and Daughter of History: Mary Soames and the Legacy of Churchill (2014). She then spent six years as a Senior Specialist at Bonhams, where she led the Knightsbridge Modern British sales and later joined the New Bond Street team. Across these roles she has been responsible for significant auctions, creative collaborations, and category‑building initiatives. Her partnerships with contemporary artists and institutions include extensive work with Sir Quentin Blake and The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, resulting in four white‑glove fundraising sales and nearly £800,000 raised for charity. She has also conducted interviews and projects with leading figures such as Sir Grayson Perry, Richard Ansett, Bob and Roberta Smith, Sophie Ryder, Yinka Ilori and Camille Walala.
Re‑joining Sotheby’s in 2024, Jen continues to drive the success and innovation of the Modern British Art sales. Recent highlights have included the selling and loan exhibition Radical Modernity: From Bloomsbury to Charleston and the selling exhibition Richard Ansett: A Portrait of Grayson Perry, as well as being involved in creating new world record prices for artists Walter Sickert and Marlow Moss. She is also an auctioneer and holds a Master’s degree in the History of Art from the University of St Andrews, where she graduated with first-class honours.
