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The British Surrealists

The British Surrealists

by Desmond Morris

Thames & Hudson ·2022 ·248 pages
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64/99
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77/99

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52/99

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About This Book

The lives, loves, and works of key British Surrealists revealed by one of the last surviving members of this movement, best-selling author and artist Desmond Morris. Honored for their idiosyncratic and imaginative works, the surrealists marked a pivotal moment in the history of modern art in Britain― pioneering the Surrealist movement between World War I and II. Many artists banded together to form the British Surrealist Group, while others carved their own, independent paths. Here, best-selling author and surrealist artist Desmond Morris―one of the last surviving members of this important art movement―draws on his personal memories and experiences to present the intriguing life stories, complex love lives, and groundbreaking works of this wild and curious set of artists. From the rebelliousness of Leonora Carrington to the beguiling Eileen Agar and the "brilliant" Ceri Richards, Morris brings his subjects' triumphs as well as their shortcomings to the fore. Laced with his inimitable wit, and profusely illustrated by images of the artists and their artworks, Morris's vivid account reflects the movement's strange, rebellious, and imaginative nature. Featuring thirty- four surrealists―some famous, some now largely forgotten―Morris's intimate book takes us back in time to a generation that allowed its creative unconscious to drive their passions in both art and life. 107 color illustrations


Reviews

"this beautifully illustrated book — each artist's bio is accompanied by two or three paintings — is a reminder of the extraordinary work of such Britons as Carrington and Agar, whose reputations as surrealists of the first order, able to stand comparison with Duchamp, de Chirico and the rest, have been soaring in recent years."

Kathryn Hughes· The Times (UK) Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"Throughout, Morris's irreverent tone is balanced by serious and insightful details, making each profile feel at once indulgent and informative."

Publishers Weekly Read review ↗ Near the Top

"most enjoyable these prove, each pleasingly modest at only a few pages long, a pithy, breezy read accompanied by luscious full-color reproductions.Some are famous, and many others deliciously obscure ..."

Adrian Dannatt· The New York Times Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

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