John Craxton

[Moonchime]

John Craxton 1922-2009


John Craxton, Self-portrait. Oil on paper, 1946-1947. Size: 32.3cm x 23.2cm IMAGE: private collection.

From www.osbornesamuel.com:

John Craxton 1922 - 2009
An English painter, John Craxton was born in London in 1922 and studied at the Central School of Art and Goldsmiths’ College. In 1942 he became friends with Graham Sutherland and Lucian Freud, sharing a studio in London with Lucian Freud and, as can be seen from his works of this period, very strongly influenced by Graham Sutherland and Samuel Palmer.

Craxton was a huge fan of William Blake’ s. One of the first works he ever purchased was by Blake. He felt that Blake represented the English imagination, held up in contrast to the ‘ pomposity’ of eighteenth century English painting.

After World War II he travelled around the Mediterranean, visiting Greece for the first time in the summer of 1946 before finally settling in Crete in 1960. His early work of the 1940s was often labeled as neo-romantic, filled as it is with a combination of the light and life of Greece and the (imaginative approach) of Blake. The early influence of William Blake gave way to that of Cubism and an admiration for Picasso, placing Craxton in a much more European context. Craxton rejects the label of neo-romantic preferring the title of Arcadian painter. His themes are of course both romantic and pastoral. However the combination of figures with abstraction and his emphasis on the human in his landscapes; fishermen, animals and houses fill his paintings reveal what has been called a more humanist approach to his portrayals of Cretian life. And it is the essence of life which infuses his work, combined with an energy of light and colour.

‘ The light in Greece is wonderful versus the grey duvet that blankets London,’ he says. ‘ In Crete one has the luxury of excluding light. There is so much of it coming in that I can just use the exact amount I need.’

I went to a gallery in Chichester at the weekend and they had a special exhibtion of this artist who I had never heard of. I really like a lot of his work so I thought I would share it and see what you think.


Reclining figure with Asphodels 1983-1984





The Blue Horse 1985



Still life with three sailors.
1980-85


Two figures and the setting sun 1952 - 66 oil on canvas



Sleeping Fisherman












Hydra 1960 -1961



The Australian


Three Dancers

[Moonchime]

Landscape with the elements 1975-76

From https://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/

At an early age John Craxton was lucky to travel widely with family and friends. Many of his travels inspired creative turning points for the artist daring to explore colour and use bolder lines. He often stayed on the south coast in Selsey with family and he regularly sang in the choir at Chichester Cathedral as a boy.

With these personal links to the local area, it is fitting that Chichester Cathedral is able to display Craxton’s enormous Cretan-inspired tapestry Landscape with the Elements (1975-76) as part of the Gallery’s exhibition.


The monumental tapestry is an example of John Craxton’s passion for Greek landscapes, its creative history and its people, as Ian Collins, Craxton’s biographer, explains:

“Although a tribute to Scottish craftsmanship, the Craxton tapestry is all about the seasonal and diurnal life of Greece… Mediterranean sun and moon dominate the changing scene. Earth is suggested by Cretan rocks, plants and tree. Air by a flying bird. Water by rain, waterfall and Aegean-like sea, and Fire by flames which have set the top of the tree alight and by smoke changing into clouds. Loving Greek mythology as much as archaeology… it shows the enormous impact on the artist of Byzantine mosaics.”

[Dee]

Thank you very much for introducing this artist, Mz Moonchime!

A brilliant case of sequencing, because for me, the pictures you’ve posted just kept on getting better until the very last one that hit bullseye. Love that rainbow coloured landscape with moon and the sun and all the detail, it’s gorgeous. It’s a something I’d love to have on my wall to see every day. It’s a piece that must have such joy to create, it certainly makes me crave that feeling to be able to make something like this.

From my reaction then it follows I am much more drawn to his landscapes than his paintings of people.

It’s such a timely introduction… as I’ve been thinking so much of painting lately, what direction to take, what to explore, and I keep coming back to landscape painting with detailed decorative texture… well… voilà!!! I’m also very drawn to the idea of creating landscape with mixed media.

I really love that last piece especially.

[Moonchime]

I really look forward to seeing your journey into the world of painted/mixed media landscapes - in fact I'm very excited!!!
I agree with you about the last piece which is a tapestry - it is so full of colour and that is what i like about Craxton - his use of colour. Having said that he has done some interesting monochromatic work which I also find very atmospheric. I love the light in both his people and landscapes and if you've ever been to Greece there is such resonance of the people and colours there although I haven't included any of his shepherds.

The irony is that we had decided on Saturday to go the gallery and not to the cathedral in Chichester but it was only when I researched him that I discovered that the tapestry was on display in the Cathedral!!!!

Apparently David Attenborough is a great fan and has much of his work.


Blue Tree tempura 1922





Knowlton church


Autumn Landscape with hills


Winter Panorama 1970


The Black
Sun 1947

[Dee]

Oh what a pity about missing the tapestry displayed in the catherdral! Got to go back!

Coming back to look at these paintings and the tapestry again, I find myself drawn to the detail and the feast of colour, and the curvy parts. I realise that the overall affect of the paintings (and the tapestry too) is a little unsettling for me, with the jagged and linear lines breaking up the smoothing feel of the curvy parts. Interesting.

[Lori]

Very interesting artist. Thank you for posting all of these works. I am also incredibly drawn towards the colorful abstract pieces as well. Fascinating play of tones and shapes.

I find myself wondering if the figures in these paintings felt less contemporary, with these common "vetements", they might present with a little more intrigue. That is just personal preference, no doubt. I do love that he stretches and experiments with varying styles. To me, it's almost like two different artists were represented in these pieces.

This is a great find. I've not seen a bit of his work before and find it very fresh and fun. The landscapes are so very compelling it almost feels as if one could part the stalks and step right into some liquid tonal Wonderland. Could we join hands and jump into the canvas?

[Moonchime]

Now wouldn't that be fun?
TBH the figures dancing really bring back to me how the men stand in Greece as they prepare to dance or actually dance.There is such a feeling of his love of Greece in much of his work - he was quite obsessed with the place even before he went to live on Crete.
When we first visited Crete waiters still spontaneously broke into dance but some years later and that stopped and it became a "tourist" thing. Such a shame.

[Lori]

Wonderful memories and feelings about Greece, Mz. K. These scents, sounds, and beautiful inhabitants remain with us as part of us, don't they? Particularly these spontaneous expressions of fun and joy.

Always feel free to share your travel experiences so we can live vicariously through your eyes!