British and Irish Art

Adrian Clark Art Commentator and Historian

Category: Uncategorised

  • Peter Watson in the FT

    —

    in

    Nice to see Watson on page 13 of today’s Financial Times! Not a paper which often refers to him. He pops up in a review of the new Keith Vaughan show at the wonderful Pallant House. Richard Cork’s review rather oddly labels him a “publisher”, presumably because he paid for the publication of Horizon. He…

  • Peter Watson and Horizon

    —

    in

    On 1st February 2013 I gave a lecture at the Sotheby’s Institute in Bedford Square, under the auspices of the Burlington Magazine, about the art contributions to Horizon. This is a very brief synopsis. A transcript of my lecture is available on request. Founded at the end of 1939, Horizon was funded by Watson. The…

  • Peter Watson and Denham Fouts

    —

    in

    A biography of Fouts is about to be published by Arthur Vanderbilt. It will be interesting to see what is said about the relationship between Fouts and Watson. They met in about 1933. Watson was in the throes of a relationship with a rich young American called Robin Thomas. Fouts was also American but not…

  • Peter Watson and Francis Bacon

    —

    in

    As work on Watson’s biography continues, one thing which is becoming apparent is the importance to Bacon at certain points in the development of his reputation of his link with Peter Watson. It is unknown when they actually met. They moved in the same part of the London art world and may well have met…

  • British art in America

    —

    in

    Back from New York and Minneapolis. In MOMA saw various Francis Bacon’s: a 1991 triptych, which must have been one of his last pictures; a Pope; and Study of a Baboon from 1953. The latter came from James Thrall Soby. I have come across him in the context of my Peter Watson research, as correspondence…

  • Vienna

    —

    in

    Just back from Vienna where we saw a Henry Moore sculpture called Hill Arches in the Karlsplatz outside the Karlskirche and a Francis Bacon (Seated Figure of 1960) in the Albertina. Otherwise we were conscious that we were in the City where Cecil Beaton met Watson for the first time in the Summer of 1930.

  • Peter Watson and others in Sicily

    —

    in

    Just returned from Taormina. Peter Watson visited in 1950/1, staying at the grand hotel, the San Domenico Palace. Nearby was Truman Capote, who lived there at the time, and also the Englishwoman, Daphne Phelps, at Casa Cuseni. She had a string of high profile cultural visitors and it would be interesting to know if Watson…

  • Freud Portraits

    —

    in

    At last managed to see the terribly crowded show at the NPG. The rooms cannot bear the numbers of people, who when I was there were concentrated in the rooms showing the earlier more interesting pictures. There was basically no-one lingering in a room showing the Benefits Supervisor lady and the large male nude, whereas…

  • Exhibitions in 2012

    —

    in

    Diary starting to fill with next year’s stuff. John Piper will be having more publicity. “John Piper and the Church” is going to be at Dorchester Abbey from 21st April to 10th June. “John Piper:the Gyselynck Collection” will be at the River and Rowing Museum, Henley from 3rd March to 8th October and “John Piper:…

  • Peter Watson,Richard Hamilton and Adrian Berg

    —

    in

    In the early 1950’s, Peter Watson was heavily involved with the developing ICA. Although he was to die in 1956, he just had time to connect with one or two artists who are, or who were until very recently, still alive. An example was Richard Hamilton, who died not long ago. I spoke to him…

  • Peter Watson and Robert Buhler

    —

    in

    Help needed! Apparently Buhler painted Watson’s portrait. But where is it now? If anyone has any information about this or even an image of the picture, I should be very grateful to hear.

  • Gore Vidal/Peter Watson

    —

    in

    They met in Paris. If anybody reading this has a way of contacting Gore Vidal, please get in touch. I should like to know if he can remember anything about their meeting.