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Artists, Siblings, Visionaries: Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction
'Outstanding' - The Guardian
'Judith Mackrell has done an incredible job in bringing to life the stories of these two great artists' - Anthony D’Offay
'This is a must read . . . a deeply moving account of a family bursting with talent' - Anne Sebba
In Artists, Siblings, Visionaries, acclaimed biographer Judith Mackrell turns her attention to British brother and sister artists Gwen and Augustus John.
In many ways they were polar opposites.
Augustus was the larger of the two; vivid, volatile and promiscuous, he was a hero among romantics and bohemians, celebrated as one of the great British talents of his generation.
As a woman, Gwen's place in the art world was much smaller, and her private way of working and reserved nature meant it was only long after her death that her tremendous gifts were fully acknowledged. But her temperament was as turbulent as her brother's. She formed passionate attachments to men and woman, including a long affair with the sculptor Rodin.
And there were other ways in which the two Johns were remarkably alike, as Mackrell vividly reveals. The result is a powerful portrait of two prodigiously talented artists and visionaries, whose experiments with form and colour created some of the most memorable work of the early twentieth century.
'Judith Mackrell has done an incredible job in bringing to life the stories of these two great artists' - Anthony D’Offay
'This is a must read . . . a deeply moving account of a family bursting with talent' - Anne Sebba
In Artists, Siblings, Visionaries, acclaimed biographer Judith Mackrell turns her attention to British brother and sister artists Gwen and Augustus John.
In many ways they were polar opposites.
Augustus was the larger of the two; vivid, volatile and promiscuous, he was a hero among romantics and bohemians, celebrated as one of the great British talents of his generation.
As a woman, Gwen's place in the art world was much smaller, and her private way of working and reserved nature meant it was only long after her death that her tremendous gifts were fully acknowledged. But her temperament was as turbulent as her brother's. She formed passionate attachments to men and woman, including a long affair with the sculptor Rodin.
And there were other ways in which the two Johns were remarkably alike, as Mackrell vividly reveals. The result is a powerful portrait of two prodigiously talented artists and visionaries, whose experiments with form and colour created some of the most memorable work of the early twentieth century.
- GenresNonfictionArtBiography
449 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 19, 2025
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About the author
Judith Mackrell
16 books39 followersJudith Mackrell is a writer and dance critic for the Guardian. She lives in London with her husband and two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 13, 2025
I'd come across the John siblings in other books as they were on the periphery of society, so it was great to read their stories. Gwen was so impressive in her commitment to art, Augustus on the other hand doesn't come across as a particularly good human being or particularly interesting artist.
July 31, 2025
An engaging account of the lives and loves of Gwen John and her brother Augustus. Augustus as a man, was inevitably the larger of the siblings and was celebrated as one of Britain’s greatest talents. Gwen however, was an exceptionally talented artist, even though she didn’t receive the same acknowledgment in her lifetime. This is a powerful portrait of the sibling’s relationship, their life, loves and art.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews