Search the Collection

Quentin Bell

(1910-1996), Artist and writer; son of Clive and Vanessa Bell

Quentin Claudian Stephen Bell

Sitter in 6 portraits
As the son of Clive Bell and Vanessa Bell and the nephew of Virginia Woolf, Quentin Bell was born into the heart of the Bloomsbury Group. He worked as a lecturer in art history and fine art in several universities including Leeds, Oxford and Sussex. After the success of his authoritative two-volume biography of his aunt, Virginia Woolf (published in 1972) Bell turned his attention to chronicling the history of the Bloomsbury Group and was instrumental in establishing the Charleston Trust. He wrote a number of books on the group and on Charleston Farmhouse. Bell retired from academia in 1975, and subsequently worked for many years as a potter.

2 Likes voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Make a donation Close

List Thumbnail

Quentin Bell, by Ramsey & Muspratt - NPG P363(2)

Quentin Bell

by Ramsey & Muspratt
bromide print, 1932
NPG P363(2)

The Memoir Club, by Vanessa Bell - NPG 6718

The Memoir Club

by Vanessa Bell
oil on canvas, circa 1943
NPG 6718

Quentin Bell, by Janet Stone - NPG x23326

Quentin Bell

by Janet Stone
bromide print, 1970s
NPG x23326

Quentin Bell, by Tara Heinemann - NPG x22171

Quentin Bell

by Tara Heinemann
resin print, 1981
NPG x22171

Quentin Bell, by Duncan Fraser - NPG x20063

Quentin Bell

by Duncan Fraser
resin print, 1982
NPG x20063

Family Tree

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.

Elizabeth Baker

08 February 2017, 04:59

Quentin Bell was Head of the Art School at Kings College Newcastle on Tyne (part of Durham University at the time- 1950s). They ran art exams for local schools and offered scholarships for teenagers to attend the classes at Kings College on Saturdays. I attended for a few years in the early 1950s.