Henri Matisse's journey from ridicule to acclaim is explored through his own perspective in this biography. Despite facing widespread criticism, he continued to innovate, leaving behind a legacy often misunderstood. The author, Hilary Spurling, utilizes newly available family correspondence and private archives to reveal Matisse's struggles with self-doubt and his response to the tumultuous events of the twentieth century. This second half of a comprehensive biography sheds light on the artist's inner life and the misconceptions surrounding his personal experiences and relationships.
Hilary Spurling Livres
Hilary Spurling est une auteure britannique reconnue pour son journalisme perspicace et ses biographies. Son œuvre explore en profondeur la vie et les créations d'artistes et d'écrivains, en examinant souvent les liens complexes entre leurs processus créatifs et leurs expériences personnelles. Spurling possède un talent remarquable pour donner vie à ses sujets grâce à une recherche méticuleuse et une narration captivante, offrant aux lecteurs des portraits riches et pénétrants. Son style d'écriture est à la fois informatif et littéraire, ce qui en fait une voix distinguée dans le domaine de la biographie.






The Unknown Matisse: A Life of Henri Matisse: The Early Years, 1869-1908
- 512pages
- 18 heures de lecture
The art, youth, early maturity and life of artist Henri Matisse are examined in this biography. Includes 24 pages of color reproductions
Anthony Powell
- 528pages
- 19 heures de lecture
Acclaimed literary biographer Hilary Spurling turns her attention to Anthony Powell, an iconic figure of English letters. Equally notorious for his literary achievements and his lacerating wit, Powell famously authored the twelve-volume, twenty-five year magnum opus, A Dance to the Music of Time. This enduringly fascinating portrait of mid-20th-century Britain has never been out of print, inspiring TV and radio adaptations and elevating the author to The Times' list of fifty greatest British writers since 1945. Master novelist, well-connected socialite and keen-eyed social observer, Powell comes into focus as never before in this authoritative biography from one of our generation's greatest biographers.
Invitation to the Dance
- 330pages
- 12 heures de lecture
Anthony Powell’sA Dance to the Music of Timeis a landmark of twentieth-century writing. Hilary Spurling has written an invaluable companion to the 12-volume masterpiece, creating a magnificent database of Powell’s imagination and England’s cultural landscape.
Matisse
- 608pages
- 22 heures de lecture
Henri Matisse was one of the most important and beloved artists of the twentieth century, rivalled only by his friend - and competitor - Pablo Picasso. This title reveals the origins of Matisse's astonishing talent and provides an insight into his life and work.
The Girl from the Fiction Department: Homesick at the New Yorker
- 208pages
- 8 heures de lecture
Sonia Orwell, George Orwell's second wife, is revealed in a nuanced light by her friend Hilary Spurling, who aims to correct the misconceptions surrounding her life. Spurling depicts Sonia as a complex figure—beautiful and intelligent yet belligerent in later years. As a model for Julia in Orwell's 1984, she was also a significant literary figure, working with notable personalities like W.H. Auden and Cyril Connolly. This biography explores Sonia's multifaceted character, showcasing her generosity, spirit, ferocity, and self-doubt.
George Orwell's second wife was portrayed by her husband's biographers as a manipulative gold-digger who would stop at nothing to keep control of his legacy. But the truth about Sonia Orwell - the model for Julia in Nineteen Eighty-Four - was altogether different. schovat popis
Mehr als nur ein Nachschlagewerk: „Einladung zum Tanz“ bietet ausführliche Hinweise auf über 400 Figuren, auf Bücher, Gemälde und Orte, die in Anthony Powells Romanzyklus eine Rolle spielen. Das Handbuch bildet damit eine umfassende Datenbank, die Powells Vorstellungswelt und Englands Kulturlandschaft zusammenführt – und dies auf obendrein äußerst vergnügliche und unterhaltsame Weise.
