Graham Vivian Sutherland biography

Graham Vivian Sutherland, born in London in 1903, was one of the most significant British painters of the twentieth century. Considered one of the leading figures of contemporary painting in the United Kingdom, his artwork evolved through an intricate mix of European expressionist, abstract, cubist, and surrealist styles, enriched by his unique and tormented imagination.
Graham Sutherland's first steps in the world of artwork were as an engraver, under the influence of great masters like William Blake, with whom he shared pre-romantic symbolism, and Samuel Palmer and John Nash. During this period, he taught engraving at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, thus helping to train new generations of artists. However, it was only in 1931 that he fully embraced painting, abandoning engraving and opening the doors to a new chapter of his career.
In 1936 he participated in the International Surrealist Exhibition in London, although he never fully adhered to the surrealist movement. From that moment, he devoted himself to painting with fervor, exploring the harshness and drama of the landscapes of Pembrokeshire, in Wales, where he often spent time. His artworks from this period are characterized by surreal and intense landscapes, as in the painting "Welsh Landscape with Roads." Graham Sutherland transforms natural forms into threatening totems, permeating the atmosphere with psychoanalytic suggestions.
World War II had a profound impact on the artist, who found himself involved in the visual representation of the devastations of London. His artworks during this period, such as the dramatic war drawings and the "Crucifixion" for the Church of St. Matthew in Northampton, reflect his deep connection with existential anguish and human pain.
During the '50s, he became more interested in the human figure, conducting research that led him to create the "Crucifixion" and the sketches for the tapestry of "Christ in Glory" in Coventry Cathedral.
In the following decades, Graham Sutherland also devoted himself to Mailart and established contacts in Italy, including Eraldo Di Vita from Milan. Over the years, his artistic research shifted towards deeper investigations of the human unconscious, exploring the theme of pain and the fascination of the unexpected. His artworks became enriched with allusions to ancestral obsessions, with frequent use of insects and monsters. Despite his preference for research on the human figure, Graham Sutherland also became famous for his portraits of famous personalities, among which stand out those of William Somerset Maugham and Winston Churchill.
International recognition came in the early '60s, when he obtained an exclusive contract with the prestigious Marlborough Gallery in London. In 1965, the artist was the protagonist of a major retrospective exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art in Turin, which officially established the greatness and importance of his artwork.
During his career, Graham Sutherland also developed abstract forms, often vaguely anthropomorphic, which were evocative and anguished interpretations of reality. His travels in the south of France contribute to a new chromatic vibrancy in his artworks. In addition to painting, graphics play a significant role in Sutherland's artistic production. His graphic artworks were often inspired by nature and animals, as in the case of the "Bestiary" of 1968 and "Le bestiaire ou Cortège d'Orphée" of 1979. In 1980, Graham Sutherland passed away in Menton at the age of 73, leaving an artistic legacy of great value and influence on the subsequent generation of artists. His artwork remains a journey into expressionism and the human soul, with landscapes and portraits that capture the essence of existence, both in its joys and its sufferings.