Private View

by Beryl Cook

In the three years since Beryl Cook’s work was first revealed to the public she has risen from being regarded as an interesting phenomenon to occupying a niche of her own in modern British painting. Few artists have succeeded in appealing to the broadest cross-section of the public whilst receiving a critical acclaim any serious artist would envy. Beryl has been compared with Stanley Spencer, Douanier Rousseau, Rowlandson, Hogarth, Rubens, Burra and even Chagall, but the range of these comparisons only serves to emphasise her striking individuality. In this second volume of her paintings the mixture is even richer than before. On a visit to Paris Beryl was inspired by the deft skill of waiters in a popular restaurant and also by the fetching appearance of two ladies who come and go in the Place both are here immortalized. Scenes in a well known pub in Chelsea where a fight broke out and in a gay disco engraved themselves on her mind and were swiftly transferred into oil on plywood. Pictures of Plymouth again feature the market, Tescos, a Bingo session, lovers in the undergrowth, dustbin men and many others, forming a Chaucerian gallery of contemporary characters which captures the spirit of our age with humorous vivacity and unblinkered realism. Almost alone in Britain among self-taught artists, her pictures are imbued with a fantastic sense of humour all of us can understand, a beguiling lack of tact Which, splurging across the permissive scene, is camouflage for truly sophisticated Wit . . . Here is a humour, so raucous and so subtle, not seen by us since Rowlandson. - Antiques and Art Monitor In many Ways Beryl Cook is the nicest thing to happen to British painting for years . . . she has all the robust forthrightness painting seems to have lost in the process of becoming modern. - Evening Standard

Genres: Art, Humor

64 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1980

About the author

Beryl Cook, OBE (10 September 1926 – 28 May 2008) was a British artist best known for her original and instantly recognisable paintings. Often comical, her works pictured people whom she encountered in everyday life, including people enjoying themselves in pubs, girls shopping or out on a hen night, drag queen shows or a family picnicking by the seaside or abroad. She had no formal training and did not take up painting until her thirties. She was a shy and private person and in her art often depicted the flamboyant and extrovert characters she would have liked to have been.

Reviews

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love Beryl Cook's paintings as she always captures everyday life in quirky and impressive ways. And apparently she does not sketch what she sees, she just remembers it and recreates it once she is ready to do the painting. What a marvellous talent that is.

In 'Private View' we have her take on a variety of subjects, even, as on the cover, 'My Fur Coat, in which she seems to be giving an unsuspecting, and startled bowler hatted gentleman something of a shock! She must have been showing off her dress ....!

Beryl paints herself grocery shopping in Tesco but admits it will probably be the last such picture she paints as she mentions 'after painting all those tins [on the surrounding shelves]' she had had enough! She had to go to the library to borrow a book to enable her to paint the music notes on her painting 'Musicians' and as she describes, we can tell these musicians are 'a serious trio enjoying some chamber music'.

Seeing a cutting in the Sunday Times about muscle men rehearsing for a Mr Universe contest, she tried her hand at painting them but in the end gave up as the image she was following was too small and she simply drew any two body builders who were flexing their muscles. She was, however, well able to paint the characters in 'Tending the Plants' for it is herself and husband John who are working away. John is in the forefront, full face, while Beryl has her back turned. She admits, 'The fact that we are hopeless gardeners does not deter us in the least: every year we plan, plant and pot up a new batch of failures.'

Dodgem cars at a fairground, three ladies in The phoenix on a summer's night, James Galway on his flute with a row of ladies with large hands giving him plenty of applause, and a visit to a Little Chef diner with plenty of food on display on the tray the waitress is carrying and of this Beryl writes, I like ton think I son often paint food because of the colours, but could it be greed?' And there are plenty more.

And this is the thing about her quirky paintings, there is more often than not a story attached which makes them all the more interesting. And in this book there are plenty of them to look at.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having decided to paint my fur coat displayed to its best advantage - from the back and open wide - it only need a gentleman passer-by to complete the picture. Believe me, it was not easy getting just the right expression of mingled horror and pleasure on his face. Now which one of you would like to buy a very distinctive fur coat, for standing on a street corner in the twilight.?

I do love Beryl Cook and the first copy of this book that we found we gave away to my uncle and aunt as they share our fondness and have a few prints hung around their apartment. Luckily we have found a second copy in a local charity shop and can enjoy it ourselves.

The books gives an insight into the inspiration behind a number of Cook's distinctive paintings along with a glimpse of her home and social life.

It was a very enjoyable read and gets a deserved 4 stars.

[Paul Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

[John Murray] (1980). 1/1. HB/DJ. 64 Pages. Purchased from orbitingbooks.

Beryl Cook (1926-2008) was a humble, witty, razor-sharp, playful, idiosyncratic, perceptive artistic genius whose joie de vivre oozes from her wonderful images of English life.

~30 works are reproduced in colour here, in her second collection; many with charming, accompanying commentary.

Marvellous stuff, redolent of Gary Larson, P. G. Wodehouse, Donald McGill, Rupert Fawcett…

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of Beryl Cook's work. I love her art - the figures may, on first glance, appear to be clumsy and simplistic, but Cook is able to capture nuances of expression and humour that is missing from the work of more sophisticated painting. I also enjoy the background details in the pieces - the delicacy of the plants, for example. Each painting in the collection was accompanied by a paragraph by the artist, giving a humourous insight into the work.
A joy to read and peruse.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love her stuff.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

She definitely has her own style, and her own take on the world. I've seen her work and now I also know her name.