John Virtue : London Paintings

by Introduction by Charles Saumarez Smith; Essays by Simon Schama, Paul Moorhouse,

• ISBN13: 9781857093858
• ISBN10: 1857093852
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2005-05-11
• Publisher: National Gallery London

Summary

John Virtue was invited to become the sixth National Gallery Associate Artist because of his deep-rooted relationship with the great European landscape tradition that is magnificently represented in the museum's collection. Working in the National Gallery's studio, Virtue has made an unprecedented series of large-scale paintings that represent the London cityscape looking towards St. Paul's and a smaller group showing Trafalgar Square from the roof of the National Gallery. Executed solely in black and white, they are monumental, epic works. This book illustrates all of Virtue's London paintings and a selection of his drawings. Following an introduction by Charles Saumarez Smith, other contributors explore the artist's place in both the context of his contemporaries and in the historical tradition of London cityscapes, the connection between Virtue's earlier work and the paintings and drawings he has made at the National Gallery, and Virtue's new paintings in the context of his residency at the National Gallery.

Author Biography

Simon Schama is professor of history at Columbia University, New York. Paul Moorhouse is a senior curator at Tate, London. Colin Wiggins is deputy head of education at the National Gallery, London. Charles Saumarez Smith is director of the National Gallery, London.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 9
John Virtue : the epic of paint	p. 13
In the midst of life - John Virtue's images of London	p. 35
John Virtue : London paintings	p. 59
London paintings	p. 87
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