In 1936, Dame Laura Knight became the first woman to be elected as a full member of the Royal Academy of Art in London. She was the only woman to be given War Commissions in both the First and Second World Wars and the only British artist to cover the Nuremberg Trials of 1946.
An artist who worked in oils, watercolours, etching, engraving and drypoint she was a painter in the figurative, realist tradition, who embraced English Impressionism, becoming one of the the most successful and popular painters in Britain. Her success in the male- dominated British art establishment paved the way for greater status and recognition for women artists.
In 1929 she was created a Dame. Her large retrospective exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1965 was the first for a woman. Knight was known for painting amidst the world of the theatre and ballet in London, and for being a war artist during the Second WorldWar. She was also greatly interested in, and inspired by, marginalised communities and individuals, including Romani people and circus performers. This lecture provides an overview of her fascinating career and some of the remarkable achievements of her long life. Non-members are welcome to join us at a talk as a guest. No commitment, but a donation is appreciated.
Please contact: – www.theartssocietycranleigh.org
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