Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 13 March – 24 June 2014
Oxford’s Ashmolean presents Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art from the Pearlman Collection from this week, in an exhibition that constitutes the first display of this highly significant group of works in Europe. Cézanne is the highlight, the French master’s development examined in six oils, sixteen watercolours and two drawings – it’s a rare chance to see so many of his works together.

South London Gallery, 15 March – 1 June 2014
South London Gallery presents one of the highlights of last year’s Venice Biennale: ‘Welcome to Iraq’, a group exhibition that introduces a rich range of contemporary Iraqi art, from the political cartoons of Abdul Raheem Yassir, where the absurd is the weapon of choice, to films by Hareth Alhomaam and Ali Samiaa that explore the changing circumstances of interpersonal relationships between Iraqis.

De la Warr Pavilion, Bexhill On Sea, 15 March – 29 June 2014
The De la Warr Pavilion’s survey of contemporary painting practice looks like it will include a wonderful range of work, from the impasto investigations of Frank Auerbach and Leon Kossoff, paintings by Jessica Warboys – who often submerges her canvases in the seas – and important examples by Academicians including Frank Bowling, Jeffery Camp, Christopher Le Brun and Lisa Milroy.

Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham, 15 March – 29 June 2014
Ten previously unseen and evocative oils by the English painter Ivon Hitchens go on display from this weekend at Goldmark Gallery, in Uppingham, Rutland. Subtitled ‘Encounter in the Woods’, the show has an interesting backstory, as the landscape paintings on view were all given by the artist to woodcutter Ted Floate, Hitchens’ friend for more than thirty years.

The National Gallery, 19 March – 15 June 2014
And a reminder for all Old Master enthusiasts: Veronese at the National Gallery opens in the next week. Novelist and RA Magazine stalwart Sarah Dunant explains in the latest issue why she thinks the celebrated Venetian artist’s work is ‘such a thing as too much beauty’, and judging by the recent Renaissance shows around the capital, people are going to flock to experience it.

Sam Phillips is the Editor of RA Magazine. Follow Sam on Twitter @SamP_London.