Julian Trevelyan : picture language

Julian Trevelyan: Picture Language follows the trail of a painter's visual language and motivation.

The working life of Julian Trevelyan (1910-88) spanned more than 65 years.

In that time he exhibited alongside Picasso, Miro and Dali, was a member of the British Surrealist group, an active participant in the Mass Observation Movement, taught both at Chelsea School of Art and the Royal College of Art, and wrote a number of books.

After the Second World War his work was mainly concerned with depicting scenes around his Hammersmith home and the River Thames, where he lived with his wife Mary Fedden, as well as his travels around the world.

Julian Trevelyan produced work with a broad appeal which was easily understood and yet gave his public a chance to interpret it as they wished.

His paintings and prints are spread throughout Europe and many of them are reproduced here for the first time.

From the selection gathered here, it is obvious that he left us with a bright and positive view of our place in our world.

He was a realist, sceptical, fully aware of his failures, and yet he allowed his dreams and enjoyment of life to continue to flow and enrich ours.Philip Trevelyan, Julian's son, set out to discover more about his father's life as an artist. A documentary filmmaker, Philip takes us on a pictorial journey through Julian's life and presents here his personal view, offering insights from his researches and first-hand knowledge of life in Trevelyan's studio at Durham Wharf in London.