Born in Hampstead, London, on 19 March 1908, he was the youngest of four children born to the celebrated artist, Sir William Rothenstein and his wife Alice Knewstub.
Artedit
He was home schooled and studied art at Chelsea Polytechnic and later at the Central School of Arts and Crafts. Affected by lingering depression, Rothenstein did little art making during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Despite this, he had his first one-man show at the Warren Gallery, London in 1931.
During the late 1930s the artist's output was mainly Neo-Romantic landscapes and in 1940 he was commissioned to paint topographical watercolours of endangered sites in Sussex for the Recording Britain proanised by the Pilgrim Trust. In the early 1940s he moved to Ethel House, in the north Essex village of Great Bardfield. The artist held his first (of many) one-man shows at the famous Redfern Gallery, London in 1942. During this time he became increasingly fascinated by printmaking.
At Great Bardfield there was a small resident art community that included John Aldridge, Edward Bawden and Kenneth Rowntree. In the early 1950s several more artists (including George Chapman, Stanley Clifford-Smith, Audrey Cruddas and Marianne Straub) moved to the village making it one of the most artistically creative spots in Britain. Rothenstein took an important role in organising the Great Bardfield Artists exhibitions during the 1950s. Thanks to his contacts in the art world (his older brother, Sir John Rothenstein, was the current head of the Tate Gallery) these exhibitions became nationally known and attracted thousands of visitors.
From the mid-1950s Rothenstein almost abandoned painting in preference to printmaking which included linocut as well as etchings. Like his fellow Bardfield artists his work was figurative but became near abstract in the 1960s.
Although little known as a painter, Rothenstein became one of the most experimental printmakers in Britain during the 1950s and '60s. He authored several books on art subjects including Looking at Painting (1947) and Frontiers of Printmaking (1966). In 1965 he was the driving force behind the formation of Printmakers Council and served as its first Chairman. He taught art for many years at Camberwell School of Art and Stoke-on-Trent College of Art, he also lectured extensively in the USA. He illustrated several books including the first UK edition of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men (1937) and Acquainted with the Night: A Book of Dreams (1949) by Nancy Price.
Rothenstein was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) in 1977 and a Royal Academician (RA) in 1984. Near the end of his life there was a retrospective of his work at the Stoke-on-Trent City Museum and Art Gallery (1989) and important shows followed at the Fry Art Gallery, Essex (1991 and 1993).
In 1936 he married his first wife, the artist, Betty Fitzgerald, who was later known as Duffy Ayers, and the couple had two children. In 1956 he divorced Duffy and in 1958 married Diana Arnold-Forster. Not long after the 1958 Great Bardfield summer exhibition the couple moved to the nearby village of Stisted, Essex. She died in 2017.[2]
7 artworks by or after Michael Rothenstein at the Art UK site
Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections
January 01, 1970
michael, rothenstein, william, march, 1908, july, 1993, british, printmaker, painter, teacher, contents, early, life, legacy, personal, life, references, external, linksearly, life, editborn, hampstead, london, march, 1908, youngest, four, children, born, cele. William Michael Rothenstein RA 19 March 1908 6 July 1993 was a British printmaker painter and art teacher Contents 1 Early life 2 Art 3 Legacy 4 Personal life 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editBorn in Hampstead London on 19 March 1908 he was the youngest of four children born to the celebrated artist Sir William Rothenstein and his wife Alice Knewstub Art editHe was home schooled and studied art at Chelsea Polytechnic and later at the Central School of Arts and Crafts Affected by lingering depression Rothenstein did little art making during the late 1920s and early 1930s Despite this he had his first one man show at the Warren Gallery London in 1931 During the late 1930s the artist s output was mainly Neo Romantic landscapes and in 1940 he was commissioned to paint topographical watercolours of endangered sites in Sussex for the Recording Britain proanised by the Pilgrim Trust In the early 1940s he moved to Ethel House in the north Essex village of Great Bardfield The artist held his first of many one man shows at the famous Redfern Gallery London in 1942 During this time he became increasingly fascinated by printmaking At Great Bardfield there was a small resident art community that included John Aldridge Edward Bawden and Kenneth Rowntree In the early 1950s several more artists including George Chapman Stanley Clifford Smith Audrey Cruddas and Marianne Straub moved to the village making it one of the most artistically creative spots in Britain Rothenstein took an important role in organising the Great Bardfield Artists exhibitions during the 1950s Thanks to his contacts in the art world his older brother Sir John Rothenstein was the current head of the Tate Gallery these exhibitions became nationally known and attracted thousands of visitors From the mid 1950s Rothenstein almost abandoned painting in preference to printmaking which included linocut as well as etchings Like his fellow Bardfield artists his work was figurative but became near abstract in the 1960s Although little known as a painter Rothenstein became one of the most experimental printmakers in Britain during the 1950s and 60s He authored several books on art subjects including Looking at Painting 1947 and Frontiers of Printmaking 1966 In 1965 he was the driving force behind the formation of Printmakers Council and served as its first Chairman He taught art for many years at Camberwell School of Art and Stoke on Trent College of Art he also lectured extensively in the USA He illustrated several books including the first UK edition of John Steinbeck s Of Mice and Men 1937 and Acquainted with the Night A Book of Dreams 1949 by Nancy Price Rothenstein was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy ARA in 1977 and a Royal Academician RA in 1984 Near the end of his life there was a retrospective of his work at the Stoke on Trent City Museum and Art Gallery 1989 and important shows followed at the Fry Art Gallery Essex 1991 and 1993 Legacy editHis work is included in several public collections including the Tate Gallery London Victoria and Albert Museum London and the Fry Art Gallery Saffron Walden In 1974 the one man show Violence and the Studio Process was held in The Minories Colchester 1 Personal life editIn 1936 he married his first wife the artist Betty Fitzgerald who was later known as Duffy Ayers and the couple had two children In 1956 he divorced Duffy and in 1958 married Diana Arnold Forster Not long after the 1958 Great Bardfield summer exhibition the couple moved to the nearby village of Stisted Essex She died in 2017 2 References edit Michael Rothenstein Works on Paper 1982 Rothenstein Mel Gooding Michael Rothenstein s Boxes London Art Books International 1992 John Rothenstein Time s Thievish Progress London Cassell 1970 Martin Salisbury The Artists Artists at the Fry Cambridge Ruskin Press 2003 Tessa Sidey The Prints of Michael Rothenstein 1993 Nicholas Usherwood Michael Rotherstein Oxford Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004 Pat Gilmour Michael Rothenstein s Prints Print Quarterly vol X n 4 1993External links edit7 artworks by or after Michael Rothenstein at the Art UK site Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Michael Rothenstein amp oldid 1217894863, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
