George Painter
Encyclopedia
George Duncan Painter, OBE
(5 June 1914 – 8 December 2005) known as George D. Painter, was an English author most famous as a biographer of Marcel Proust
.
Painter was born in Birmingham
. His father was a schoolmaster, and his mother was an artist. He studied classics at Trinity College, Cambridge
and later lectured in Latin at the University of Liverpool
for one year. From 1938 until World War II and again after the war, he worked at the British Museum
in the printed books section.
His two volume biography of Proust was published in 1959 and 1965, and is still widely considered to be one of the finest literary biographies in the English language. Its second volume won the Duff Cooper Prize
. His later work Chateaubriand: Volume 1 – The Longed-For Tempests was awarded the 1977 James Tait Black Memorial Prize
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(5 June 1914 – 8 December 2005) known as George D. Painter, was an English author most famous as a biographer of Marcel Proust
Marcel Proust
Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental À la recherche du temps perdu...
.
Painter was born in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. His father was a schoolmaster, and his mother was an artist. He studied classics at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
and later lectured in Latin at the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
for one year. From 1938 until World War II and again after the war, he worked at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
in the printed books section.
His two volume biography of Proust was published in 1959 and 1965, and is still widely considered to be one of the finest literary biographies in the English language. Its second volume won the Duff Cooper Prize
Duff Cooper Prize
The Duff Cooper Prize is a literary prize awarded annually for the best work of history, biography, political science or poetry, published in English or French. The prize was established in honour of Duff Cooper, a British diplomat, Cabinet member and acclaimed author. The prize was first awarded...
. His later work Chateaubriand: Volume 1 – The Longed-For Tempests was awarded the 1977 James Tait Black Memorial Prize
James Tait Black Memorial Prize
Founded in 1919, the James Tait Black Memorial Prizes are among the oldest and most prestigious book prizes awarded for literature written in the English language and are Britain's oldest literary awards...
.