A Cultural Biography of William Johnstone - by Beth Williamson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Tells the virtually forgotten story of pioneering educator and influential artist William Johnstone.

Book Synopsis

Scottish artist William Johnstone (1897-1981) has been significantly overlooked in the histories of British modernism, yet his role as the progressive Principal of Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts and subsequently the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London helped shape the the work and careers of artists such as Richard Hamilton, Victor Pasmore, Nigel Henderson, Alan Davie and Eduardo Paolozzi.
Drawing directly on Johnstone's personal archive as well as a range of newly researched primary sources, Beth Williamson studies Johnstone's ideas and his artworks within the context of his working relationships with other important British artists of the period. His dialogues with significant thinkers in the wider cultural field serve to illuminate these intellectual debates in a lively way.
Williamson considers these important relationships against the background of Johnstone's thinking and theirs, examining key texts, artworks, and moments in British art and art education in an international context, revealing Johnstone's intellectual formation considering its significance then and now.

Review Quotes

William Johnstone was not only one of Scotland's most important twentieth century painters but also one of England's most significant art educators. Johnstone's contribution demands proper reassessment, and this invaluable book does just that, illuminating his work both as an artist and as a leader of higher education.--Murdo Macdonald, University of Dundee