Peter Laurent de Francia (25 January 1921 – 19 January 2012) was an Italian-British artist, who was Professor of Painting at the Royal College of Art (RCA), London, from 1972 to 1986. His paintings and drawing are included in art collections in Britain, and he was the author of two books on Fernand Léger, Leger: The Great Parade (Painters on Painting) (1969) and Fernand Léger (1983), and of several articles on art.[2]
Influenced by nineteenth-century socialist painters such as Gustave Courbet and Honoré Daumier, as well as by socially committed artists of his time like Renato Guttuso and Pablo Picasso, de Francia used subjects that exposed the contradictions in everyday life to try to inspire change.[3]
De Francia was born in Beaulieu-sur-MerAlpes Maritimes, France to an Italian father, Laurent Fernand de Francia, and an English mother, Alice Groom.[1] He grew up in Paris and was educated at Paris's American school, followed by studies in art at the Academy of Brussels (1938–40), and after settling in London, at the Slade School of Fine Art, University of London, in the years 1945-1948.[4]
He worked at the Canadian Government Exhibition Commission in Ottawa (1949–1950) and in the Architects' Department of the American Museum in New York City (1950–1951). From 1953 to 1968, he was a tutor in the Department of Art History and Complementary Studies at St Martin's School of Art, London (1953–1968), and from 1963 to 1969 also tutored in the Department of Art History and Complementary Studies at the Royal College of Art (RCA). He was Principal of the Department of Fine Art, Goldsmiths' College, University of London (1969–72), and from 1972 to 1986 was Professor of Painting at the RCA.[4][5]
2012 - Peter de Francia. An Intimate View, James Hyman Gallery, London
2011 - Peter de Francia. Paintings: A 90th Birthday Retrospective, James Hyman Gallery, London
2009 - Peter de Francia. Art World Drawings, James Hyman Gallery, London
2008 - Modern Myths, New York Studio School (catalogue), New York
2007-08 - The Ship of Fools: Peter de Francia in Focus, Pallant House, Chichester
2006 - Peter de Francia, Tate Britain (brochure, interview by Philip Dodd), London
2005 - After the Bombing, James Hyman Gallery, London
2004 - Drawings, The Gallery, Wimbledon School of Art, London
2002 - Peter de Francia: Fables and Other Drawings: 1990-2001, Queen's Gallery, British Council, New Delhi, India
1999 - Peter de Francia: Drawings, Ruskin School, Oxford
Peter de Francia: Ballets Africains: Drawings, The Place, London
1996 - Peter de Francia: Drawings 1993-96, Austin/Desmond Fine Art, London
1995 - Peter de Francia, Gloria Gallery, Nicosia, Cyprus
1991 - Peter de Francia, Centre for Contemporary Art, New Delhi, India
1987 - Peter de Francia: Paintings and drawings, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield
1989 - Peter de Francia: Untitled, Frith Street Gallery, London
1990 - Peter de Francia, Pomeroy Purdy Gallery, London
1987 - Peter de Francia: Retrospective, Camden Arts Centre, London
1983 - Peter de Francia, Forum Gallery, New York
1980 - Peter de Francia, New Art Centre, London
1978 - Peter de Francia, Gallery of the Institute of Cultural Relations, Budapest, Hungary
1977 - Peter de Francia: Retrospective, Camden Arts Centre, London & New 57 Gallery, Edinburgh
1976 - Peter de Francia, New Art Centre, London
1969 - Peter de Francia, New 57 Gallery, Edinburgh
1962 - Peter de Francia, Forum Gallery, New York
1962 - Peter de Francia, Gallery of the Union of Czech Writers, Prague
1961 - Peter de Francia, Galerie d'Eendt, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
1959 - Peter de Francia, Colonna Gallery, Milan, Italy
1958 - Peter de Francia, Waddington Galleries, London (catalogue)
Peter de Francia, Colonna Gallery, Milan, Italy.
Selected publicationsedit
Impressionism, Methuen & Co., 1956. 62 pp
The Great Parade (Painters on Painting). Worthing: Little Hampton Book Services Ltd, 1969. 32 pp. ISBN0304932779.
Fernand Léger, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983. 288 pp. ISBN0300030673.
Peter de Francia: Fables, Maruts Press, 2002. ISBN0954305205
Peter de Francia Portraits, James Hyman Fine Art, 2006.
Referencesedit
^ abMichael McNay (23 January 2012). "Peter de Francia obituary | Art and design". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
^Timothy Hyman (1 February 2012). "Peter de Francia: Painter and teacher who railed against the British artistic establishment". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
^Lindey, Christine (2018). Art for All: British Socially Committed Art from the 1930s to the Cold War. London: Artery. p. 4. ISBN978-0-9558228-8-9.
^Tate. "Faculty RCA". Tate. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
External linksedit
Peter de Francia at James Hyman Fine Art
British Library Archives of an interview with Peter de Francia at the artist's home in London 2000-2001
Art UK - Peter de Francia
Tate - Peter de Francia
January 01, 1970
peter, francia, peter, laurent, francia, january, 1921, january, 2012, italian, british, artist, professor, painting, royal, college, london, from, 1972, 1986, paintings, drawing, included, collections, britain, author, books, fernand, léger, leger, great, par. Peter Laurent de Francia 25 January 1921 19 January 2012 was an Italian British artist who was Professor of Painting at the Royal College of Art RCA London from 1972 to 1986 His paintings and drawing are included in art collections in Britain and he was the author of two books on Fernand Leger Leger The Great Parade Painters on Painting 1969 and Fernand Leger 1983 and of several articles on art 2 Peter Laurent de FranciaBorn 1921 01 25 25 January 1921Beaulieu sur Mer Alpes Maritimes FranceDied19 January 2012 2012 01 19 aged 90 London UK 1 NationalityBritishKnown forPainting drawingNotable workThe Execution of Beloyannis 1953 Portrait of Eric Hobsbawm 1955 The Bombing of Sakiet 1959 The Emigrants 1964 Ship of Fools 1985 Influenced by nineteenth century socialist painters such as Gustave Courbet and Honore Daumier as well as by socially committed artists of his time like Renato Guttuso and Pablo Picasso de Francia used subjects that exposed the contradictions in everyday life to try to inspire change 3 Contents 1 Biography 2 Selected exhibitions 3 Selected publications 4 References 5 External linksBiography editDe Francia was born in Beaulieu sur Mer Alpes Maritimes France to an Italian father Laurent Fernand de Francia and an English mother Alice Groom 1 He grew up in Paris and was educated at Paris s American school followed by studies in art at the Academy of Brussels 1938 40 and after settling in London at the Slade School of Fine Art University of London in the years 1945 1948 4 He worked at the Canadian Government Exhibition Commission in Ottawa 1949 1950 and in the Architects Department of the American Museum in New York City 1950 1951 From 1953 to 1968 he was a tutor in the Department of Art History and Complementary Studies at St Martin s School of Art London 1953 1968 and from 1963 to 1969 also tutored in the Department of Art History and Complementary Studies at the Royal College of Art RCA He was Principal of the Department of Fine Art Goldsmiths College University of London 1969 72 and from 1972 to 1986 was Professor of Painting at the RCA 4 5 He is buried on the eastern side of Highgate Cemetery nbsp Grave of Peter de Francia in Highgate CemeterySelected exhibitions edit2012 Peter de Francia An Intimate View James Hyman Gallery London 2011 Peter de Francia Paintings A 90th Birthday Retrospective James Hyman Gallery London 2009 Peter de Francia Art World Drawings James Hyman Gallery London 2008 Modern Myths New York Studio School catalogue New York 2007 08 The Ship of Fools Peter de Francia in Focus Pallant House Chichester 2006 Peter de Francia Tate Britain brochure interview by Philip Dodd London 2005 After the Bombing James Hyman Gallery London 2004 Drawings The Gallery Wimbledon School of Art London 2002 Peter de Francia Fables and Other Drawings 1990 2001 Queen s Gallery British Council New Delhi India 1999 Peter de Francia Drawings Ruskin School Oxford Peter de Francia Ballets Africains Drawings The Place London 1996 Peter de Francia Drawings 1993 96 Austin Desmond Fine Art London 1995 Peter de Francia Gloria Gallery Nicosia Cyprus 1991 Peter de Francia Centre for Contemporary Art New Delhi India 1987 Peter de Francia Paintings and drawings Graves Art Gallery Sheffield 1989 Peter de Francia Untitled Frith Street Gallery London 1990 Peter de Francia Pomeroy Purdy Gallery London 1987 Peter de Francia Retrospective Camden Arts Centre London 1983 Peter de Francia Forum Gallery New York 1980 Peter de Francia New Art Centre London 1978 Peter de Francia Gallery of the Institute of Cultural Relations Budapest Hungary 1977 Peter de Francia Retrospective Camden Arts Centre London amp New 57 Gallery Edinburgh 1976 Peter de Francia New Art Centre London 1969 Peter de Francia New 57 Gallery Edinburgh 1962 Peter de Francia Forum Gallery New York 1962 Peter de Francia Gallery of the Union of Czech Writers Prague 1961 Peter de Francia Galerie d Eendt Amsterdam the Netherlands 1959 Peter de Francia Colonna Gallery Milan Italy 1958 Peter de Francia Waddington Galleries London catalogue Peter de Francia Colonna Gallery Milan Italy Selected publications editImpressionism Methuen amp Co 1956 62 pp The Great Parade Painters on Painting Worthing Little Hampton Book Services Ltd 1969 32 pp ISBN 0304932779 Fernand Leger New Haven Yale University Press 1983 288 pp ISBN 0300030673 Peter de Francia Fables Maruts Press 2002 ISBN 0954305205 Peter de Francia Portraits James Hyman Fine Art 2006 References edit a b Michael McNay 23 January 2012 Peter de Francia obituary Art and design The Guardian London Retrieved 24 January 2012 Timothy Hyman 1 February 2012 Peter de Francia Painter and teacher who railed against the British artistic establishment The Independent London Archived from the original on 26 May 2022 Retrieved 29 April 2013 Lindey Christine 2018 Art for All British Socially Committed Art from the 1930s to the Cold War London Artery p 4 ISBN 978 0 9558228 8 9 a b Peter de Francia biography at James Hyman Tate Faculty RCA Tate Retrieved 1 March 2023 External links editPeter de Francia at James Hyman Fine Art British Library Archives of an interview with Peter de Francia at the artist s home in London 2000 2001 Art UK Peter de Francia Tate Peter de Francia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Peter de Francia amp oldid 1171905947, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
