Iris Murdoch
4 of 7 portraits matching these criteria:
- set matching 'Studies for Dame Iris Murdoch by Tom Phillips'
© DACS / Tom Phillips 2021
Iris Murdoch
by Tom Phillips
conté, 1986
54 1/2 in. x 40 in. (1384 mm x 1016 mm)
Purchased, 1987
Primary Collection
NPG 5944(1)
Sitterback to top
- Dame (Jean) Iris Murdoch (1919-1999), Novelist and philosopher. Sitter in 35 portraits.
Artistback to top
- Tom Phillips (1937-2022), Artist, writer and composer; Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. Artist or producer of 22 portraits, Sitter in 6 portraits.
This portraitback to top
This large scale drawing was created when the artist was experiencing a creative block whilst painting Murdoch's commissioned portrait for the Gallery in 1984. Work for the portrait spanned three years and about fifteen sittings. Phillips has described how he tried to capture the luminous presence of his subject, 'an electric light bulb in that gloomy corner, glowing, casting out darkness…'. Between sittings Phillips resorted to drawing from memory, and images with an elemental quality emerged, so that each represents Earth, Fire, Air and Water respectively. This one relates to 'Earth'. The drawings taught him that 'the historiated aspects of Iris's face, the lines and creases, were not really important to her actual presence. Thus I found my way back to the original light bulb image'. Fragments of Titian's Flaying of Marsyas, c.1570, can be seen in the background.
Linked publicationsback to top
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 449
Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top
- The Artist's Process (4 December 2007 - 1 June 2008)
- Britain 1960-1990 (From 18 September 2004)
Portrait setback to top
Events of 1986back to top
Current affairs
Hampton Court Palace is devastated by fire. Much of the third floor and the roof of the building were destroyed, although, thanks to the courage of the fire fighters, only one painting and one piece of furniture were ruined.Prince Andrew, Duke of York, marries Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey.
Art and science
Poems on the Underground, the brainchild of American writer Judith Chernaik, is launched by London Underground. A rolling programme of poems is displayed in tube train carriages, bringing contemporary and classic poetry to commuters.The Independent Newspaper is first published.
Artists, Gilbert and George win the Turner Prize.
International
An explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power station leads to nuclear meltdown in the reactor and causes massive nuclear contamination over Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, western Europe, the UK and Ireland, and even North America. The 2005 Chenobyl Forum attributed 56 direct deaths to the disaster and estimated that 9,000 people may die from some form of cancer as a result of exposure to radiation.Comments back to top
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