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Michael Ayrton

1921–1975

The Landscape of Cain 1958
© Estate of Michael Ayrton
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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Rooms

6 artworks by Michael Ayrton
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In Tate Britain

Library and Archive Reading Rooms

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Biography

Michael Ayrton (20 February 1921 – 16 November 1975) was a British painter, printmaker, sculptor, critic, broadcaster and novelist. His sculptures, illustrations, poems and stories often focused on the subjects of flight, myths, mirrors and mazes.

He was also a stage and costume designer, working with John Minton on the 1942 John Gielgud production of Macbeth at the age of nineteen, and a book designer and illustrator for Wyndham Lewis's The Human Age trilogy. An exhibition, Word and Image (National Book League, 1971), explored Lewis's and Ayrton's literary and artistic connections. He also collaborated with Constant Lambert and William Golding.

This biography is from Wikipedia under an Attribution-ShareAlike Creative Commons License. Spotted a problem? Let us know.

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Neo-romanticism

Artworks

Left Right
  • Greek Landscape I

    Michael Ayrton
    1960–1
    View by appointment
  • Greek Landscape II

    Michael Ayrton
    1960–1
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  • Greek Landscape III

    Michael Ayrton
    1960–1
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  • Bearded Head

    Michael Ayrton
    1939
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  • Clown

    Michael Ayrton
    1939
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  • Au Cirque

    Michael Ayrton
    1939
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  • Icarus Transformed I

    Michael Ayrton
    1961
  • Study for ‘Greek Landscape II’

    Michael Ayrton
    1960
See all 13

Sketches, letters, etc.

  • Letter from Henry Moore to Michael Ayrton

    Henry Moore OM, CH, recipient: Michael Ayrton
    15 February 1949
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  • Letter from Henry Moore to Michael Ayrton

    Henry Moore OM, CH, recipient: Michael Ayrton
    28 October 1949
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  • Letter from Henry Moore to Michael Ayrton

    Henry Moore OM, CH, recipient: Michael Ayrton
    17 August 1955
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  • Letter from Henry Moore to Michael Ayrton

    Henry Moore OM, CH, recipient: Michael Ayrton
    28 May 1959
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