Graham Sutherland

1 portrait of Graham Sutherland

© estate of Daniel Farson / National Portrait Gallery, London

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Graham Sutherland

by Daniel Farson
bromide print, 1954
15 in. x 12 in. (382 mm x 306 mm) image size
Given by Daniel Farson, 1994
Photographs Collection
NPG x135674

Sitterback to top

  • Graham Vivian Sutherland (1903-1980), Painter. Sitter in 62 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 23 portraits.

Artistback to top

  • Daniel Farson (1927-1997), Photographer and writer. Artist or producer of 47 portraits, Sitter in 6 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Farson first met Sutherland and his wife, Kathy, in 1954 when visiting Cap Ferrat, shortly before their purchase of La Villa Blanche at Menton. 'The Sutherlands are two of the nicest people I have ever met, astonishingly friendly and kind!' Sutherland had recently painted a portrait of Sir Winston Churchill (1954), that was later destroyed by Lady Churchill.
The bamboo reeds of the Var Valley behind which Sutherland is seen inspired his later paintings but could not replace the Pembrokeshire landscape of his early years.

Placesback to top

  • Place made and portrayed: France (Var Valley, South of France, France)

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Events of 1954back to top

Current affairs

Roger Bannister runs the four-minute mile. Bannister was the first man to achieve the 'miracle mile', a feat that was thought by some to be impossible, beating his rival, the Australian John Landy, to the record. Bannister went on to a career as a distinguished neurologist.
Food rationing ends in Britain.

Art and science

J.R.R. Tolkien publishes the first two parts of the Lord of the Rings trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. Tolkien was an Oxford professor of Anglo-Saxon language and literature and drew on his scholarly interests in history, language and mythology to create the fictional land of Middle Earth where the books are set.
Williams Golding publishes, Lord of the Flies.

International

The South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) is established in Bangkok. This international defence organisation was established as part of the 'containment' policy of limiting the influence of communism. SEATO was, however, found to be ineffective as the member organisations failed to agree on combined action; it was disbanded in 1977.

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