Dated: 07/10/2008
An exhibition organised by Tate Liverpool, Main Gallery, 24 January - 19 April, 2009
An exhibition of works by one of the most famous British artists of the 20th Century will go on show in York for the first time in January 2009.
Stanley Spencer, organised by Tate Liverpool, will mark the 50th anniversary of his death by bringing together a wide selection of works from different stages of his life.
These will include oils, watercolours and intimate sketches as well as his last self portrait, painted shortly before he died.
This is the first exhibition of Spencer's work ever to be held in the city.
Laura Turner, curator of art at the gallery, said: "Spencer is one of the most respected British artists of his generation. His work is immediate - sometimes appealing, sometimes shocking - but often offering those who take a closer look, glimpses of his personal life and beliefs.
"We are delighted to be selected as one of the few venues for this display from the Tate’s extensive holdings and believe it will offer visitors to the gallery an invaluable look at the work of this remarkable artist."
The exhibit will bring together 23 works from the Tate's collection with one work from York Art Gallery; The Deposition and Rolling Away of the stone, 1956. These include some of Spencer’s most memorable works such as St Francis and the Birds, his first "adult work" Woman Feeding a Calf and the two self portraits from 1913 and 1959.
Brief Biography
Stanley Spencer was born in 1891 in the Berkshire village of Cookham, a place that would feature heavily in his later works. He is known to have regularly attended a Methodist Chapel in the village, setting in place the strong role Christianity also played in his life and art.
In 1908 he trained at the Slade School of Fine Art in London alongside artists such as David Bomberg and Isaac Rosenburg. After serving in the Royal Medical Corps during World War One, Spencer was asked to paint works as a war artist, which he did again during World War Two.
In 1925 he married art student Hilda Carline with whom he had two daughters, Shirin and Unity. Carline divorced Spencer in 1937 and a week after the divorce he married artist Patricia Preece. Their marriage was an immediate failure; the union was never consummated and her demands for money meant Spencer was faced with increasing debts. His post war years saw Spencer produce many works of a biblical nature, but he chose to set the religious scenes in Cookham. It is these works that Spencer is now most noted for; however landscapes were his most popular paintings during his lifetime.
Spencer was knighted in 1959. He died of cancer in the same year.
Stanley Spencer Events at York Art Gallery
Studio Saturdays (funded by the Friends of York Art Gallery)
7th February
11am – 12.45pm and 2pm – 3.45pm.
Paint animals and birds inspired by Stanley Spencer’s paintings of farm animals and St. Francis with the Birds.
7th March
11am – 12.45pm and 2pm – 3.45pm
Stanley Spencer painted his own portrait throughout his life – come and paint yourself with help from a real artist.
These events are for accompanied children.
A small charge will be made for materials.
Curator’s Lunchtime Talk
19th February
12:30 – 1:00pm
‘Stanley Spencer’
Images
A list of works and several images are available on request. (The image used on this website's homepage is Self-Portrait 1914, Tate, London 2008. Bequeathed by Sir Edward Marsh through the Contemporary Art Society 1953 © The estate of Stanley Spencer 2008. All rights reserved DACS)
For further information, images or interviews, contact Lee Clark, Media Co-ordinator, York Museums Trust, telephone 01904 687673, or e-mail lee.clark@ymt.org.uk