Graham Vivian Sutherland biografia

Graham Vivian Sutherland, born in London in 1903, was a British painter and one of the most significant of the twentieth century. Considered one of the leading figures of contemporary painting in the United Kingdom, his art 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 art world are as an engraver, under the influence of great masters like William Blake, with whom he shares pre-romantic symbolism, and Samuel Palmer and John Nash. During this period, he teaches engraving at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, thus contributing to the training of new generations of artists. However, it is only in 1931 that he fully embraces painting, abandoning engraving and opening the doors to a new chapter in 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 dedicated himself to painting with fervor, exploring the harshness and drama of the Pembrokeshire landscapes in Wales, where he often spent time. His works from this period are characterized by surreal and intense landscapes, as in the painting "Welsh Landscape with Roads." Graham Sutherland transforms natural forms into menacing totems, permeating the atmosphere with psychoanalytic suggestions.
The Second World War has a profound impact on the artist, who becomes involved in the visual representation of London's devastations. His works 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 suffering.
During the 1950s, he became more interested in the human figure, conducting research that led to the creation of the "Crucifixion" and the sketches for the tapestry of "Christ in Glory" in Coventry Cathedral.
In the following decades, Graham Sutherland also dedicated himself to Mailart and established contacts in Italy, including Eraldo Di Vita from Milan. As the years passed, his artistic research shifted towards deeper investigations of the human unconscious, exploring the theme of pain and the allure of the unexpected. His works became enriched with allusions to ancestral obsessions, with the 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 those of William Somerset Maugham and Winston Churchill stand out.
International recognition came in the early 1960s, when he secured an exclusive contract with the prestigious Galleria Marlborough in London. In 1965, the artist was the subject of a major retrospective exhibition at the Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Turin, which officially confirmed 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 contributed to an unprecedented chromatic vibrancy in his works. In addition to painting, graphics played a significant role in Sutherland's artistic production. His graphic works were often inspired by nature and animals, as in the case of the "Bestiario" 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 behind 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, in both its joys and its sufferings.