I am an active writer and commentator on art, and art history.
My particular passion lies in British and Irish artists of the mid-20th century. Having started as a collector, my fascination led on to research and writing.
A City lawyer by profession and a historian by training, I seek to bring to bear these disciplines in my analysis. I have written extensively in The British Art Journal, reviewing exhibitions and books, with some longer articles involving original research. This website reproduces many of the reviews, as well as summaries of the longer articles.
My first book, British and Irish Art 1945-1951 From War to Festival, was published in 2010, and I am currently working on my next book, a biography of Peter Watson, as well as other projects, including a commission for the Royal Academy.
British and Irish Art 1945-1951: From War to Festival
Published in 2010, this book radically re-examines a crucial period of modern British and Irish art, from a historical viewpoint.
By studying the intricate mechanisms whereby artists turned oil on canvas into money – or not – the book explains how artists’ reputations were made or broken. Individual artists discussed include Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, Graham Sutherland, Gerard Dillon, Robert Colquhoun, Paul Nash and many more.
To purchase or inquire, CLICK for Paul Holberton (publishers)