John Robert Fowles

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John Robert Fowles

by Tomas Watson
oil on linen, 2001
28 in. x 24 1/8 in. (712 mm x 614 mm)
Commissioned as part of the First Prize, 1998 BP Portrait Award, 2001
Primary Collection
NPG 6584

Sitterback to top

Artistback to top

  • Tomas Watson (1971-), Artist. Artist or producer of 1 portrait.

This portraitback to top

This portrait was painted in a flat owned by the sitter and his wife near their home in Lyme Regis. The artist, who lived in Greece, stayed in the flat where he had 13 sittings and worked for over 100 hours on the portrait. Fowles sat looking out of the window at the Cobb, an important location in The French Lieutenant's Woman.

Linked publicationsback to top

  • Howgate, Sarah; Nairne, Sandy, A Guide to Contemporary Portraits, 2009, p. 34 Read entry

    Writer and master of layered story-telling and ambiguous endings, John Fowles (1926-2005) is pictured looking out of the window at the Cobb, Lyme Regis, an important location in his novel The French Lieutenant’s Woman.

  • Nairne, Sandy (introduction), 500 Portraits: BP Portrait Award, 2011, p. 23

Placesback to top

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 2001back to top

Current affairs

Labour wins a second landslide general election victory campaigning on improvements to public services based on private finance projects. The Conservative party proved itself to be out-of-touch by ignoring public services and campaigning on the issue of Britain's membership of the EU. The day after the election William Hague resigned as leader of the Conservative Party.

Art and science

The Eden Project opens in Cornwall. The eco-centre, conceived by Tim Smit, replicates tropical and temporal climates and houses plants from all over the world in two domed biomes. The project is both a large-scale scientific experiment to study the environmental changes in different biomes over time, and a visitor attraction teaching the public about the natural environment.

International

On 11th September (9/11) America comes under foreign attack for the first time since Pearl Harbour when Islamic Fundamentalist terrorists hijack four planes, flying two into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre, and one into the Pentagon; the fourth plane crashed in a field.
George Bush launches his 'War on Terror' by invading Afghanistan to overthrown the Taliban and capture Osama bin Laden, leader of al-Qaeda.

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