The People and Portraits of Stanley Spencer

Stanley Spencer (1891-1959) is one of the greatest British artists of the twentieth century. Although less well known than his imaginative paintings, portraiture was also an important part of Spencer’s artistic practice, especially in his final decade, when he was in high demand as a commercial portrait painter. This lecture will explore Spencer’s views on portraiture, and the role it played in his life and work. Through his paintings, we will meet many of the people around him, from friends and neighbours to figures of national importance