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| Self-Portrait c1960 with Pale Green Tie oil on canvas 48.9 x 40.6 cm |
Roberts was a pioneer, among English artists, in his use of abstract images. In later years he described his approach as that of an "English Cubist". In the First World War he served as a gunner on the Western Front, and in 1918 became an official war artist. Roberts's first one-man show was at the Chenil Gallery in London in 1923, and a number of his paintings from the twenties were purchased by the Contemporary Art Society for provincial galleries in the UK. In the 1930s it could be argued that Roberts was artistically at the top of his game; but, although his work was exhibited regularly in London and, increasingly, internationally, he always struggled financially. This situation became worse during the Second World War – although Roberts did carry out some commissions as a war artist.
Roberts is probably best remembered for the large, complex and colourful compositions that he exhibited annually at the Royal Academy summer exhibition from the 1950s until his death. He had a major retrospective at the Tate Gallery in 1965, and was elected a full member of the Royal Academy in 1966. There has recently been a revival of interest in the work of this artist who always worked outside the mainstream.
Note: All images © reserved (Bona Vacantia)
This is part 10 of a 20-part series on the works of William Roberts:
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| c1938 Pigeons oil on canvas 56 x 42 cm |
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| 1939 The Toque (aka Sarah in a Gold Lamé Hat) oil on canvas 43.2 x 33 cm Tate Gallery, London |
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| 1939 Woman and Dog (aka Woman with Dog and Beggar Woman) pencil and coloured wash, squared 53 x 28 cm |
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| 1939-40 Richard MacGillivray Dawkins oil on canvas 43 x 33 cm |
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| 1939-40 Woman with a Red Collar (aka Sarah in a Green Hat) oil on canvas 40.6 x 30.5 cm |
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| 1939-40 Artist and Wife pencil and watercolour, squared 26.7 x 15.2 cm |
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| 1939-40 Artist and Wife charcoal & watercolour on paper, squared for transfer 53.3 x 33 cm The Ingram Collection of Modern British and Contemporary Art, London |
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| c1939 Study for ‘Bathing a Child’ pencil 18.4 x 13 cm |
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| c1939 Study for ‘Bathing a Child’ graphite and watercolour on paper, squared 18.1 x 10.2 cm Tate Gallery, London |
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| c1939 ‘Bathing a Child’ pencil and watercolour 53.5 x 26.5 |
1940 Harold Hutchison
Harold F. Hutchison's wife, Helen, and her first husband, Mahmoud Hashim had, like the Robertses, been part of the social circle of A.P. de Zoysa in the late 1920s and early 1930s. From 1947 to 1966 Hutchison (1900–75) was publicity officer for London Transport, where he introduced the idea of the 'pair poster', designed in two halves: one for an image and one for text, to allow more scope for both the artist and the copywriter. Roberts's Hampstead Fair was produced for such a poster. Other artists commissioned by Hutchison included Edward Bawden, Abram Games and Tom Eckersley.
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| 1940 Harold Hutchison red chalk 33 x 22.9 cm |
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| 1940 Munitions Factory pencil, squared 13.5 x 18.5 cm |
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| 1940 Munitions Factory pencil squared for transfer 30 x. 41.4 cm |
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| 1940 Munitions Factory pencil and watercolour 30.5 x 42.4 cm |
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| 1940 The Cat pencil and wash, squared 38.1 x 56.2 cm |
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| 1940 William Bowman pencil 31.9 x 24.4 cm |
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| 1940-42 Hay-rick pencil and watercolour, squared 17.8 x 26.7 cm |
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| 1940-42 Hay-rick pencil and watercolour 35 x 52.4 cm |
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| 1940-59 The Acrobats pencil and watercolour, squared 18.4 x 10.8 cm |
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| c1940 Sarah in Yellow and Green oil on canvas 41 x 35.6 cm |
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| c1940 Selecting Calves study, squared pencil 16.5 x 21.5 cm |
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| c1940 Selecting Calves pencil and watercolour 16.5 x 21.5 cm |
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| c1940 Selecting Calves oil on canvas 33 x 43.2 cm National Museum Cardiff, UK |
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| 1941 A Windy Day pencil study, squared 11.5 x 14.5 cm |
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| 1941 A Windy Day study pencil 16.5 x 21.5 cm |
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| 1941 A Windy Day oil on canvas 33 x 43.5 cm |
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| 1941 Demolition Squad study pencil, squared 23.5 x 33.8 cm |
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| 1941 Demolition Squad oil on canvas 56 x 81 cm Guildhall Art Gallery, London |
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| 1941 John (aka The Artist's Son) red chalk 31.2 x 22.5 cm |
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| 1941 News gouache on paper 34.5 x 52 cm The Ingram Collection |
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| 1941 Study for ‘The Control Room, Civil Defence Headquarters’ charcoal and graphite on paper, squared 19.1 x 27.9 cm Tate Gallery, London |
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| 1941 The Control Room oil on canvas 59.5 x 70 cm Salford Museum & Art Gallery, UK |
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| c1941 Flower Stall: study for The Flower Sellers pencil and watercolour 13.3 x 18.1 cm |
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| c1941 The Flower Sellers oil on canvas 29.5 x 39.5 cm |
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| c1941 Tropical Sea (aka Bathers) pencil and watercolour, squared 11.9 x 17.3 cm |
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| c1941 Tropical Sea pencil and watercolour 36.2 x 53.3 cm |
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| 1942-43 Portrait of Daphne oil on canvas 70 x 60 cm |
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| 1942-43 The Artist and his Wife pencil study, squared 16.5 x 13.3 cm |
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| 1942-43 The Artist and his Wife oil on canvas 61 x 50.8 cm |
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| c1942-43 Study for ‘The Back Door' watercolour and graphite, squared 21.6 x 17.2 cm |
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| c1942-43 The Back Door watercolour |
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| c1942-43 The Back Door oil on canvas 50.5 x 40 cm |
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| 1942-45 Some Recipes pencil and watercolour, squared 18.0 x 11.4 cm |
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| 1942-45 Some Recipes (aka The Kitchen) watercolour, pencil and crayon 55.9 x 35.6 cm |
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| 1942-45 The Landing watercolour 52.5 x 33.7 cm |
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| c1942 Cover Design for ‘Fantasy for Flute’ by David Roberts ink and graphite on paper 12.7 x 17.8 cm Tate Gallery, London |
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| c1942 Paperback cover for 'Fantasy for Flute' |
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| c1942 Illustration for ‘Fantasy for Flute’ ink on paper 22.9 x 17.6 cm Tate Gallery, London |
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| c1942 Four Fables – Dr Phantasmus black chalk 15.6 x 12.4 cm |
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| c1942 Four Fables – Dr Phantasmus pencil, squared 15.5 x 12.3 cm |
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| c1942 Four Fables – The Hermit pencil study 17.5 x 12.5 cm |
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| c1942 Four Fables – The Hermit graphite on paper, squared 17.2 x 13.3 cm Tate Gallery, London |
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| c1942 Four Fables – The Hermit (details not given) |
