1 OF 2 
Geoffrey Edward Harvey Grigson
1 of 2 portraits of Geoffrey Edward Harvey Grigson
© estate of Fay Godwin / British Library / National Portrait Gallery, London
Share this
Geoffrey Edward Harvey Grigson
by Fay Godwin
bromide print, 1970
11 in. x 7 1/8 in. (279 mm x 181 mm)
Purchased, 1994
Primary Collection
NPG P579
Sitterback to top
- Geoffrey Edward Harvey Grigson (1905-1985), Poet, critic and anthologist. Sitter in 2 portraits.
Artistback to top
- Fay Godwin (1931-2005), Photographer. Artist or producer of 48 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
Linked publicationsback to top
- Clerk, Honor, The Sitwells, 1994 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 14 October - 22 January 1995), p. 145 Read entry
After savaging Alexander Pope in the Yorkshire Post in 1930, the poet, critic and editor Geoffrey Grigson (1905-1985) remained one of Edith's principal bêtes noires. A year later he wrote a long assessment of Edith’s work, concluding that 'her limited class of experience has produced poems little more varied than the uprights of a circular railing and damaged by an unreasonable excess of irrationality'1 and he was able to add fuel to the row about Aspects of Modern Poetry by suggesting Edith had probably plagiarised Herbert Read as well as F. R. Leavis. In December 1934 he expressed the opinion that the Sitwells had ‘written nothing worth a wise man's attention for minutes'.2 The battle rumbled on despite Grigson's attempt at an amnesty in 1946. 'You will not expect me', he wrote, 'to recant in my criticism of the past: I cannot expect you to recant in yours. But if we can agree upon that expectation, we may perhaps agree on keeping, for the future, our judgements relating to each other's work to ourselves.'3
Grigson's wide contacts in the arts inevitably overlapped with those of the Sitwells. His support of Dylan Thomas withered when the poet was taken over by Edith and he disapproved of his friend John Piper's visits to Renishaw.
1 G. Grigson in The Bookman, August 1931.
2 G. Grigson in New Verse, December 1934.
3 Quoted in John Pearson, Façades, Edith, Osbert and Sacheverell Sitwell, 1978, p 389.
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 266
Events of 1970back to top
Current affairs
Edward 'Ted' Heath wins a surprise victory for the Conservative party at the general election, becoming Prime Minister. Opinion polls had predicted a comfortable Labour victory, but with a failing economy, the Tories snatched a narrow last minute majority.Art and science
Germaine Greer publishes The Female Eunuch, an influential feminist text arguing that women's sexuality and capacity for action are repressed by the family and their roles in society. Greer suggested that women should get to know their bodies and become empowered by their sexuality. The book was an international best seller.International
Four aircraft are hijacked by Palestinian terrorists. The planes were landed in Cairo, Jordan and London and the hijackers demanded the release of Political Prisoners in exchange for the hostages. Several prisoners were returned and three of the planes were blown up after most of the hostages were release.Four students are shot dead by national guardsmen during a protest against the Vietnam War in America.
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.
