There is a great treat in store in Room 5 at the BM: a curious show of the work of the Greek artist, Ghika, and of John Craxton. They knew each other in Greece for many years and they also mixed there with the cosmopolitan world of Paddy Leigh-Fermor and his wife, Joan ( nee Eyres-Monsell). One hardly ever sees [Read More…]
Results for search of category: Peter Watson
Nicolas Nabokov and Peter Watson
Just finished reading a good biography of Nabokov by Vincent Giroud. No mention of Watson, but their worlds overlapped heavily at certain points and they knew each other in pre-War Paris and later. The early connection was through the French music scene. Watson knew Fevrier, Sauguet, Auric, Poulenc, Markevitch and others, as did Nabokov. He also of course knew many members of [Read More…]
Peter Watson at Sotheby’s
At Sotheby’s Erotic art sale on 16th February lot 10 is a major picture by Pavel Tchelitchew called Bathers. This was owned by Peter Watson and I helped with the catalogue entry.
The Sainsbury Centre at UEA
My daughter and I made our first trip to the Sainsbury Centre to see the Giacometti show. It’s a neat little exhibition; not enough Giacometti to be exciting, but enough to make the journey from London worthwhile. I enjoyed the subtlety of the themes being developed around other artists, although there was the very slight feeling that the curators had decided [Read More…]
Miro at Galerie Gmurzynska in Zurich
The gallery has sent me the most splendid hardback catalogue of their current Miro show. Thank you very much! My connection with them came a while ago when they asked me to write something on Wifredo Lam’s reception in the UK. I knew a certain amount about that from my Watson research as Watson was supportive of the Cuban Lam.
Giacometti at the National Portrait Gallery
This is an excellent show. I prefer Giacometti’s portraits to the sculptures and this exhibition is a revelation in terms of showing the progression which Giacometti made from his earlier work, which was influenced by his more traditional artist father, to the mature work in his typical dry, grey style. It is not a “blockbuster” type of show; more an [Read More…]
Musee de l’Annonciade in St Tropez
Visited this small art gallery in a disused church very close to the centre of St Tropez.It has an interesting little collection of works by such as Signac,Vlaminck,Maillol and so on.It opened in the mid 1950s. I saw my first work by Roger de la Fresnaye. Watson owned a picture by him at one time.
Villa Noailles
I have just returned from visiting the Villa Noailles in Hyeres. It is a fascinating reminder of the extraordinary lives of the great French patrons, Viscount and Viscountess de Noailles. One tends to hear more about Marie-Laure de Noailles than about her husband,Charles, but in fact they were both active patrons of a wide range of artistic and musical activities [Read More…]
Peter Watson and Massimo Campigli
When the Ensatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (ERR) raided Watson’s flat at 44 Rue du Bac on 9th December 1940, one of the pictures that subsequently found its way to the repository of stolen art at the Jeu de Paume was by Campigli. The Germans gave it the title “Ruckenfigur einer Frau und zwei Akte”. It was an oil on canvas from 1928. It [Read More…]
George Campbell and the Belfast Boys
Very pleased to receive a copy of Karen Reihill’s latest work, this time focussed on the fascinating Irish artist, George Campbell. Previously Karen has written a tremendous book on Gerard Dillon. These books are very welcome, as they give some proper weight to these important artists. Although he was born in Arklow, Campbell grew up in Belfast, where Dillon was [Read More…]