Ralph Vaughan Williams
1 portrait by Robin Darwin
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Ralph Vaughan Williams
by Robin Darwin
oil on canvas, circa 1922
14 in. x 10 1/8 in. (356 mm x 257 mm)
Given by the sitter's widow, (Joan) Ursula Penton Wood Vaughan Williams (née Lock), 1982
Primary Collection
NPG 5495
Artistback to top
- Sir Robert Vere ('Robin') Darwin (1910-1974), Painter. Artist or producer of 1 portrait, Sitter in 4 portraits.
This portraitback to top
In this portrait, Vaughan’s energy, as he conducts an orchestra, is conveyed through Robin Darwin’s expressive brushstrokes and Vaughan’s seemingly exaggerated arms and hands. The muddy tones create a sombre atmosphere, hinting at the war’s indelible mark on the composer and his work.
Linked publicationsback to top
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 631
Events of 1922back to top
Current affairs
The British Broadcasting Company (later British Broadcasting Corporation) is established to experiment with radio broadcasting. It is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world, providing radio, television and Internet services to the public in Britain and across the world.Art and science
1922 is a key year for modernist literature with the publication of James Joyce's novel, Ulysses and T.S. Eliot's poem, The Waste Land. Both broke new ground with Ulysses (loosely based on Homer's Odyssey) introducing the 'stream of consciousness' narrative technique, and The Waste Land experimenting with multiple voices and a patchwork of literary, historic, mythological and personal allusions.International
The Soviet Union is formed under Joseph Stalin who takes power after Lenin suffers a debilitating stroke.In an attempt to avoid civil war, King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy invites Benito Mussolini to form a new government following the Fascist Party's March on Rome.
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