Art
Bourne, Patrick (5 of 14). National Life Stories: Artists' Lives
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Type
sound
Duration
01:14:21
Shelf mark
C466/227
Subjects
Art
Recording date
2005-12-06, 2006-01-25, 2006-02-15, 2006-03-22
Recording locations
Fine Art Society, London
Interviewees
Bourne, Patrick, 1952- (speaker, male)
Interviewers
Dyke, Anna, (speaker, female)
Abstract
Part 5: [1:14:21] SI’s background; appearance; personality; inspirational; 3 sons, including Gavin, graphic artist. Atmosphere in art dept; could spend free time there. PB’s sports activities. SI’s generosity in teaching PB one-to-one; PB’s qualifications. Spent time fishing; early bedtimes; didn’t read outside of class. Art books; Snowdon’s photographs of English artists; PB’s interest in artists’ lives. Art history course; thesis on Cistercian abbeys; gallery visits; Gombrich. Art history course at Edinburgh; first year was repeat of the ‘A’ level; favourite artist was Rembrandt; gave hour-long talk on Rembrandt without notes in first year; seen as exceptional student; by finals, PB was seen as bad student. Public speaking; dreaded reading the lesson at school; has avoided public speaking until last year; Chairmanship of Society of London Art Dealers [SLAD]; recent experience at friend’s party. Conforming at Sedbergh; not voicing opinions. [15:24] Early tastes; British painting; English romantic paintings; Constable, Turner, Palmer, English watercolourists, eg. Cox; gallery owner/friend Peter Haworth; local unchanged landscape. C20th art; St Ives group, Henry Moore, BN, Victor Pasmore, Barbara Hepworth; from SI’s generation; school of Paris; Surrealism; attitude to American abstract expressionism, Sam Francis. Regarded Pop as commercial art; Peter Blake; Richard Hamilton. Visited Coventry Cathedral; liked Graham Sutherland, John Piper [JP]. Attracted to pictorial qualities; technique; open-minded. JP, Russell Flint; Frank Brangwyn paintings at Sedbergh; PB wrote introduction for recently-published book on the collection. First seeing a Cezanne original. Gombrich; black and white reproductions. Gallery visits with SI; National Gallery in Edinburgh; Duke of Sutherland’s collection; Titian, Raphael, Poussin; Rembrandt self portrait. SI’s teaching; knew practical side of art. Different learning experience at university; course stronger on literary and historical references, than technique. Best dealers know both art history and technique, and have good eye. Reason for SI being called ‘Rufus’ by staff; wore smock; refers to Augustus John; disciplining students. Good English and history teachers also. PB didn’t take to languages; being Englishman abroad; Hong Kong, Japan; first trip to Hong Kong 1985; first trip to New York 1980; Australia 1982. At university, could take grants to go to Italy or France; PB didn’t take them up; laziness. Had been on family holidays to France, Germany, Austria, Netherlands; visited Barcelona with friend. Less interested in paintings in museums due to lack of commercial aspect. Norwegian pupil at Sedbergh, good painter; family knew well-known painters; now runs shipping company. Meeting SI’s widow Alice; SI had taken interest in PB’s career; PB regrets not keeping in touch; SI exhibition at Abbot Hall before showing at PB’s Edinburgh gallery. Attitude to private school now. PB’s peers; judge, barrister, doctor, family businesses eg. Bill Beaumont. School mate Anthony Smith now finance director of Partridge, Bond St. PB’s qualifications; decision to go to Edinburgh University; few art history courses; SI. Interview for East Anglia University. Reflects on Edinburgh course; started buying and selling pictures in first year; golf and tennis; wouldn’t attend lectures after first year; only awarded a 3rd. Didn’t cash grant cheque; BB gave allowance. [48:35] Summer holidays before Edinburgh; sailing; pub; golf; sleeping. Never had job; first time given salary cheque not given by himself, was just few years ago (Fine Art Society [FAS]). Had enough discipline at school; BB’s attitude to PB not working then. PB’s character on leaving Sedbergh; quotes school report; attitude to politics - Tory; religion. Pub; friends; met girls via sailing, PB age 16; first relationships. [56:36] First impressions of university; surprised by other students’ backgrounds; and that girls were as bright as boys; private school. Describes university buildings; library by Basil Spence; architecture; Prince Philip’s anger at architect. Attitude to royalty; likes continuity of tradition; has met Prince Andrew on golf course and in FAS; Prince Charles’ opinions. PB also took English and modern history; was held up as bad example to students in following year; history exam. Required reading, Shakespeare; PB didn’t read any; lucky to gain degree at all. Art history final year; PB’s rushed thesis; finals. [1:07:45] Fine art course would have suited PB better. Art history course; slept in lectures. Learnt tempera technique. Tutors: Duncan Macmillan [DM], friend now; Prof Talbot Rice; Giles Robertson [GR], authority on Byzantine art; GR’s inaudible lectures; Ivor Davies left to become artist. PB has recently visited to value collection. PB’s life outside; friend owned gallery; buying and selling pictures. Reflects on art history course; didn’t help with becoming art dealer. DM’s degree in English; knowledge of literary cross-references; PB weak in this area. [1:14:21] [End of recording]
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