Peter Gregory - by Valerie Holman (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Peter Gregory (1887-1959), Director and then Chairman of Lund Humphries, was at the heart of the avant-garde British art world for nearly thirty years of major change in society, politics, and culture. A pioneering art publisher who produced scholarly and richly illustrated monographs on living artists, he was also a discerning patron and collector, the founder of new arts organisations, and a loyal supporter of young artists.

Valerie Holman's new book is the first to situate Gregory's life and career within the wider context of printing and publishing history, war, and changing perceptions of modern and contemporary art. Gregory's intimate circle included many leading artists, architects and writers: Henry Moore considered him his closest friend, Kenneth Clark sought out his committee expertise, Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth respected his professionalism and invited him into their family circle, and he had a warm friendship with Edward McKnight Kauffer, Herbert Read, Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry.

By drawing for the first time on Gregory's unpublished diaries and correspondence, the book offers insights into what motivated him, his political stance and attitude to industry, and his views on art and literature. It also shows how, as an individual, he became one of the twentieth century's most effective champions of contemporary art and design.

Review Quotes

'This is a lucid and outstanding book, a pleasure to read and a significant contribution to the history of printing and publishing in the twentieth century. Its protagonist, Peter Gregory, made many connections and fulfilled many roles, and such a person requires and deserves a broad context. Valerie Holman fulfils this requirement deftly, and with expert knowledge. It becomes clear that the high standards associated with Lund Humphries' making of art books stems from Gregory's early involvement with improvements in printing and his life-long commitment to good design. He was both an idealist and sharp businessman; a bachelor who led a fast life in London and collapsed at weekends in an ancient Wharfedale farmhouse, where a farm family took care of his needs. He read insatiably and produced the first major monograph on Henry Moore, which set the template for all his subsequent monographs on contemporary artists. His legacy is affirmed by this book.' - Frances Spalding CBE, art historian, critic and biographer

About the Author

Valerie Holman is an art historian and freelance writer with a particular interest in 20th-century art and the history of publishing. Her publications include Print for Victory: Book Publishing in England 1939-45; The Sculpture of F.E. McWilliam, co-authored with Denise Ferran; and Lund Humphries: Celebrating 75 Years of Art Book Publishing 1939-2014, published as a short booklet and online.