John Bratby
(1928 - 1992) |
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self-portraits, everyday English scenes Art Work
| Name: |
John Bratby |
| Gender: |
Male |
| Place of Birth: |
London, United Kingdom |
| Nationality: |
English |
| Birth: |
1928 |
| Death: |
1992 |
| Website: |
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| Past Auctions: |
Click Here |
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Quick Facts
| Known For: |
self-portraits, everyday English scenes |
| Medium: |
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| Method: |
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| Style: |
Kitchen Sink School |
| Fine Art Profession(s): |
Painting
Writing
Teaching |
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Biography
| Bratby studied at the Kingston College of Art (1948-50) and later in the Royal College of Art (1951-4), where he was granted a scholarship to travel to Italy. However, he was not very stimulated by the art saw there and then chose not to travel; his taste for domestic life in England is reflected in its painting. Worked in a hard realistic style, applying paint thick in vibrant colors, and portray sometimes ugly and desperate faces. He mainly chose his family as themes and incorporated all the urban disorder of domestic life in his paintings. It was this concern with social realism that brought Bratby in contact with Jack Smith, Edward Middleditch (1923-87) and Derrick Greaves b 1927), and these artists became the main exponents of the kitchen sink school. However, while the kitchen sink artists share a desire to describe the banality of a group of working-class domestic environment, Bratbys use of colors and its more middle class environment distinguished his style to that of their peers. Bratby taught by two brief periods, first in Carlisle College of Art (1956) and then in the Royal College of Art in London (1957-8). In the 1960S began a series of portraits of celebrities, including the actress Billie Whitelaw. The series developed in a Hall of fame during the 1970S. He painted cities on trips abroad in the 1980S but concentrated in self-portraits and portraits of his second wife, in intimate poses and with bright colors and an economy of line. Bratby also was a success novelist. |
Samples of Work
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