Publisher's Synopsis
British Murals & Decorative Painting 1920-1960 is illustrated with a series of specially commissioned photographs that record some of the least-known but most remarkable murals in Great Britain. The majority of these have never been reproduced in colour before.The book is divided into two sections. Part one seeks to define mural and decorative painting within its historic context. Alan Powers' survey of the major events and significant dates describes the background out of which the mural revival of the early twentieth century emerged and the role played by its main patrons, artists, art schools, and institutions. It offers important re-interpretations of some of the best-known schemes and draws attention to some of those which deserve to be better known, arguing for a more inclusive view of twentieth-century British art and with it a more developed understanding of the role of murals in the lives of the artists who produced them.Part two of the book consists of 15 essays - written by experts in the field - which provide in-depth case studies of selected works, as well as considering the careers of specific artists as muralists. This section gives a special emphasis to murals which are less well-known and in many cases have only recently been rediscovered.As a consequence of remaining out of the public domain murals often end up being written out of the accounts of the lives of the artists who created them - not withstanding the fact that for sheer size and scale it might be assumed that they counted amongst the most ambitious projects they ever undertook. The book seeks to highlight the importance of murals and decorative painting as part of the untold story of twentieth-century British Art. So long as these works are poorly documented and largely unprotected they will remain a part of Britain's artistic heritage which is undervalued and at risk.
