Romantic Moderns : English Writers, Artists and the Imagination from Virginia Woolf to John Piper by Alexandra Harris 9780500296486

Romantic Moderns : English Writers, Artists and the Imagination from Virginia Woolf to John Piper

£14.99 GBP
£14.99 GBP
Alexandra Harris's acclaimed exploration of England's distinctive and insular form of modernism offers...
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Alexandra Harris's acclaimed exploration of England's distinctive and insular form of modernism offers a fresh perspective on a pivotal era in British art and literature. Whilst the avant-garde battled for supremacy in continental Europe, Harris reveals how English creatives of the 1930s and '40s forged their own path, one that embraced both innovation and tradition.

This multi-award-winning tome challenges the notion that figures like John Betjeman and John Piper were mere nostalgists, instead positioning them at the vanguard of a uniquely English cultural renaissance. Harris deftly illustrates how these artists and writers sought to redefine what it meant to be modern whilst maintaining a deep connection to their national heritage.

With wit and insight, Harris weaves together the contributions of a diverse cast of characters, from Virginia Woolf and E. M. Forster to Graham Sutherland and Cecil Beaton. She reveals surprising collaborations, such as Bauhaus émigré László Moholy-Nagy's work on Betjeman's Oxford University Chest, demonstrating how modernists and traditionalists found common ground in their exploration of English identity.

This captivating narrative encompasses not only literature and visual art, but also architecture, gardening, and music, offering a comprehensive view of a cultural moment that continues to shape our understanding of English art and society. Harris's Romantic Moderns is an essential read for anyone seeking to unravel the complexities of 20th-century English culture.

Product Information:

Book ISBN: 9780500296486
Book Weight: 456g

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