British and Irish Art

Adrian Clark Art Commentator and Historian

Tag: Peter Watson

  • Portraits of Sir George Watson

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    Peter Watson’s money came entirely from the successful business efforts of his father, Sir George, who helped to create and develop Maypole Dairies. Until its decline as an independent company in the 1920s, this business was astonishingly successful and profitable. On the back of the money generated by Maypole, Sir George bought a huge estate…

  • The History of the ICA

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    Last night I attended a launch of an excellent new book on the early history of the ICA. The book was largely written by Anne Massey and covers the years from its post-War beginnings up to when it moved from Dover Street to the Mall in 1968. Peter Watson was heavily involved in the ICA…

  • The ICA

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    There is a new book out about the early years of the ICA, which Peter Watson helped to create: “The ICA 1946-1968″ By Gregor Muir and Anne Massey. The book contains a useful chronology, showing the amazing variety of cultural projects promoted by the ICA from its earliest years. It has a footnote reference to…

  • John Craxton

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    There is a new exhibition opened at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge of Craxton’s work. I am not sure what has particularly led to the show being put on there, although it may have something to do with the enthusiastic new young Director, Tim Knox. In any event, it is a welcome airing for Craxton’s…

  • Freud’s drawing of Peter Watson

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    In the V and A bookshop the other day, I saw a familiar face.There is a new book out by Susan Owens called “The Art of Drawing:British Masters and Methods since 1600″. On the cover of this largescale hardback is Freud’s drawing of Peter Watson from 1945,which lives in the V and A collection.

  • Cambridge

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    Went up last week to see the Christopher Wood exhibition at Kettle’s Yard. Small,but with some well-known pictures, including the self-portrait wearing a harlequin jumper. Whilst I waited for the gallery to open (it doesn’t open until 11.30), I recalled seeing previously their collection of letters from Peter Watson to Jim Ede. I also popped…

  • Farley Farm

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    Went to Farley Farm in Sussex yesterday. It is a sort of shrine to the lives of two rather extraordinary people: Roland Penrose and Lee Miller. There are many Surrealist paintings by Penrose on the walls, some of them replacing his collection of works by great 20th C masters sold or moved after his death.…

  • Looted Art

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    I went to a lecture at the London Jewish Cultural Centre last night. The chairman was David Glasser, who is chairman of the Ben Uri Gallery, and the main speaker was Howard Spiegler, a New York lawyer who specialises in acting for claimants. David Lewis, the chairman of the Commission for Looted Art in Europe,…

  • Norman Fowler and Nevis

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    Just returned from the beautiful Caribbean island of Nevis. There on 23rd March 1971 Norman Fowler was found dead in what may have been mysterious circumstances. Fowler was Peter Watson’s last boyfriend, his main heir and the only person present in Watson’s flat when he drowned in his bath in his Rutland Gate flat in…

  • Greta Garbo,Cecil Beaton and Peter Watson

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    Cecil Beaton had a well-known relationship with Greta Garbo over a number of years. It was not an easy relationship. One aspect of it which Beaton did not relish was the nexus between him, Peter Watson and Greta Garbo. As everyone who knows anything about Beaton’s life knows,Beaton was obsessed by Peter Watson from 1930,…

  • Peter Watson in the FT

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    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

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    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…