Julian Trevelyan
Encyclopedia
Julian Otto Trevelyan, RA (20 February 1910 – 12 July 1988) was a British
artist
and poet
.
Trevelyan was the only child of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and his wife Elizabeth van der Hoeven. His grandfather was the liberal politician Sir George Otto Trevelyan and his uncle the historian George Macaulay Trevelyan.
Julian Trevelyan was educated at Bedales School
and Trinity College
, Cambridge
, where he read English Literature
.
He moved to Paris
to become an artist and enrolled at Atelier Dix-Sept, Stanley William Hayter
's engraving school, where he learned about etching. He worked alongside famous artists including Max Ernst
, Oskar Kokoschka
, Joan Miró
and Pablo Picasso
.
In 1935, Trevelyan bought Durham Wharf, beside the River Thames
in Hammersmith
, London
. This became his home and studio for the rest of his life and was a source of artistic inspiration
to him. He became a confirmed Surrealist and exhibited at the International Surrealist Exhibition, held at the New Burlington Galleries in London.
He married Ursula Darwin, daughter of Bernard Darwin
and great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin
, but their marriage was dissolved in 1950. Their son is the film-maker Philip Trevelyan
. Julian Trevelyan married the painter Mary Fedden
in 1951.
From 1950 to 1955, Trevelyan taught history of art
and etching
at the Chelsea School of Art. During 1955–63, he was Tutor of Engraving at the Royal College of Art
, rising to Head of the Etching Department where he was influential to many younger printmakers, including David Hockney
and Norman Ackroyd
.
In July 1986, Trevelyan was awarded a senior fellowship at the Royal College of Art and in September 1987 he was appointed a Royal Academician.
Trevelyan died on 12 July 1988 in Hammersmith
, London
.
Trevelyan's work has been exhibited at the Bloomsbury Gallery, Messum's
and the New Burlington Galleries in London
, and the Bohun Gallery and River and Rowing Museum
in Henley-on-Thames
, among other places.
To celebrate the centenary of the birth of Trevelyan, an exhibition of his prints was held at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester from 10 May to 13 June 2010.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
.
Trevelyan was the only child of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and his wife Elizabeth van der Hoeven. His grandfather was the liberal politician Sir George Otto Trevelyan and his uncle the historian George Macaulay Trevelyan.
Julian Trevelyan was educated at Bedales School
Bedales School
Bedales School is a co-educational independent school situated in Hampshire, in the south east of England. Founded in 1893 by John Haden Badley in reaction to the limitations of conventional Victorian schools, today the school is one of the most expensive in the UK, charging £9,985 per term for a...
and Trinity College
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...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, where he read English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
.
He moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to become an artist and enrolled at Atelier Dix-Sept, Stanley William Hayter
Stanley William Hayter
Stanley William Hayter , CBE was a British painter and printmaker associated in the 1930s with Surrealism and from 1940 onward with Abstract Expressionism. Regarded as one of the most significant printmakers of the 20th century, in 1927 Hayter founded the legendary Atelier 17 studio in Paris...
's engraving school, where he learned about etching. He worked alongside famous artists including Max Ernst
Max Ernst
Max Ernst was a German painter, sculptor, graphic artist, and poet. A prolific artist, Ernst was one of the primary pioneers of the Dada movement and Surrealism.-Early life:...
, Oskar Kokoschka
Oskar Kokoschka
Oskar Kokoschka was an Austrian artist, poet and playwright best known for his intense expressionistic portraits and landscapes.-Biography:...
, Joan Miró
Joan Miró
Joan Miró i Ferrà was a Spanish Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramicist born in Barcelona.Earning international acclaim, his work has been interpreted as Surrealism, a sandbox for the subconscious mind, a re-creation of the childlike, and a manifestation of Catalan pride...
and Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
.
In 1935, Trevelyan bought Durham Wharf, beside the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. This became his home and studio for the rest of his life and was a source of artistic inspiration
Artistic inspiration
Inspiration refers to an unconscious burst of creativity in a literary, musical, or other artistic endeavour. Literally, the word means "breathed upon," and it has its origins in both Hellenism and Hebraism. The Greeks believed that inspiration came from the muses, as well as the gods Apollo and...
to him. He became a confirmed Surrealist and exhibited at the International Surrealist Exhibition, held at the New Burlington Galleries in London.
He married Ursula Darwin, daughter of Bernard Darwin
Bernard Darwin
Bernard Richard Meirion Darwin CBE JP a grandson of the British naturalist Charles Darwin, was a golf writer and high-standard amateur golfer. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
and great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
, but their marriage was dissolved in 1950. Their son is the film-maker Philip Trevelyan
Philip Trevelyan
Philip Erasmus Trevelyan is a British farmer, entrepreneur and former film editor and television director, most noted for the 1971 film The Moon and the Sledgehammer.-Personal:...
. Julian Trevelyan married the painter Mary Fedden
Mary Fedden
Mary Fedden OBE, is a British artist. Fedden is represented by Portland Gallery, London.-Early years:Sometimes mistakenly described as the daughter of Roy Fedden , Mary Fedden studied at the Slade School of Fine Arts, London from 1932 to 1936...
in 1951.
From 1950 to 1955, Trevelyan taught history of art
History of art
The History of art refers to visual art which may be defined as any activity or product made by humans in a visual form for aesthetical or communicative purposes, expressing ideas, emotions or, in general, a worldview...
and etching
Etching
Etching is the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio in the metal...
at the Chelsea School of Art. During 1955–63, he was Tutor of Engraving at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
, rising to Head of the Etching Department where he was influential to many younger printmakers, including David Hockney
David Hockney
David Hockney, CH, RA, is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer, who is based in Bridlington, Yorkshire and Kensington, London....
and Norman Ackroyd
Norman Ackroyd
Norman Ackroyd, CBE, R.A. is an English artist known primarily for his aquatints. He is based in London.Ackroyd attended Leeds College of Art from 1957–61 and the Royal College of Art, London from 1961–64, where he studied under Julian Trevelyan. Subsequently he lived for several years in the...
.
In July 1986, Trevelyan was awarded a senior fellowship at the Royal College of Art and in September 1987 he was appointed a Royal Academician.
Trevelyan died on 12 July 1988 in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Trevelyan's work has been exhibited at the Bloomsbury Gallery, Messum's
Messum's
Messum's is one of the best known art galleries in Cork Street, Mayfair, a street with a concentration of art galleries in London, England. It was founded by David Messum in 1963...
and the New Burlington Galleries in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and the Bohun Gallery and River and Rowing Museum
River and Rowing Museum
The River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, is located on a site at Mill Meadows by the River Thames. It has three main themes represented by major permanent galleries, the non-tidal River Thames, the international sport of rowing and the local town of...
in Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
, among other places.
To celebrate the centenary of the birth of Trevelyan, an exhibition of his prints was held at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester from 10 May to 13 June 2010.