ISBN-13: 9781848221444
An overview and critical assessment of The London Group's turbulent early history and an equally important period in British art. Formed in 1913 from an amalgamation of the Camden Town Group and the so-called 'English Cubists' (later Vorticists), The London Group exploded onto the British art scene as a radical alternative to the Royal Academy and the art establishment. Its controversial early years reflect the upheavals associated with the introduction of British modernism and the experimental work of many of its early members (who included David Bomberg, Jacob Epstein, Roger Fry, Mark Gertler, Percy Wyndham Lewis, Paul Nash, C R W Nevinson, Walter Sickert and Edward Wadsworth).
Published in the Group's centenary year, this book draws on fascinating archival material and historical press reports to explain the importance of these highly experimental years, painting a vivid picture of the various disputes between artists and the press/public, the jostling of various artists' movements or groups, and the internecine warfare that often erupted between them. As well as providing an overview of the Group's early history and subsequent development, this essential reference book showcases and illustrates 50 works by 50 artists representative of the Group's first 50 years, drawn from public and private collections throughout the UK (with captions compiled by relevant experts in the field); biographies for each artist illustrated; a full bibliography; a timeline; and a listing of all the artists who exhibited with the Group, with the year of exhibition and number of works illustrated.
