Inspiration

Rex Whistler (1905-1944) was one of the most intriguing artists of the interwar years. His work encompassed all areas of art and design, from set design for opera, ballet and the West End theatre to book illustration. He painted moving and memorable portraits, of people and of their houses. And he was the outstanding mural painter of his day. As a 20-year old student at the Slade School he pained a mural which an still be seen on the walls of the restaurant at Tate Britain. Later murals are to be seen at Port Lympne in Kent, Mottisfont Abbey in Hampshire, Dorneywood in Buckinghamshire and - his masterpiece, Plas Newydd on Anglesey.

At the outbreak of the Second World War he volunteered to serve in the army. He became a dedicated tank commander in the Guards Armoured Division. He was killed in Normandy on 18 July 1944.

This beautiful slipcase contains two individual volumes - Family, Friendships, Landscapes and Love and War. Together they describe the sources of inspiration Rex Whistler drew on for his work as a portrait painter, and as a designer of theatre sets and costumes, of books and of advertisements, and above all, as a painter of murals.