AYRTON, Michael (1920-75). Paintings , [edited by James Laver], London, the Grey Walls Press, 1948, sm. 4°, FIRST EDITION, SIGNED by Ayrton, September 1948, plates by the artist, several coloured and mounted, original grey cloth, dust-jacket, with an important 8pp. letter from Ayrton to John Arlott, dated Mariners Hotel, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, S. Wales, 1. 9. 1945, loosely-inserted -- WEBSTER, John and Michael AYRTON (illustrator). The Duchess of Malfi , London, Sylvan Press, 1945, 8°, limited to 1000 copies, PRESENTATION COPY, front blank inscribed: "For John, the valuable (?) signature of the illustrator; the author not being present, from Michael, Jan. 18 1946," lithographed plates, illustrations, by Ayrton, original blue cloth, dust-jacket, with a duplicate set of plates loosely-inserted; and 7 other works illustrated by Ayrton, Hermine David Gwen Morgan and other artists. (9) Michael Ayrton was the illustrator of Clausentum , poems by John Arlott, published in 1946. The above letter to Arlott is written with the intention of assisting him as much as possible in writing either an article or, more probably, a broadcast on Ayrton's work. He supplies Arlott with basic biographical information and directs him to various corners of his studio for relevant photographs or information. "I would also like you to deal with the 'Temptation of St. Anthony' a photo of which you will find in a blue album of my work on the left hand side of the large middle (chest level) shelf of my studio bookcase. I worked on this for over a year and produced over a hundred drawings for it ... the subject deeply concerns me." In response to Arlott's evident wish to discuss his attitude to other painters, he responds: "By all means put in a bit about my feelings about Picasso, Sutherland and my faith in the future of British painting .... As for the paintings themselves; you know the recent work well enough. Treat it as you think best. My most important influences are as follows: 1st and foremost and forever my roots lie in the Gothic tradition of Flanders & early England: Mathias Grönewald, Pateniv, Breughel, etc.: Blake of course and Palmer, and at one time and another, Pavel, Tchelitchew, Rouault, Sutherland, and of course Picasso." He describes his technique in some detail, particularly the "more vigorous" treatment in his recent work which "relies on transparencies over a white ground .... I rarely paint on canvas. I use a palette of about twelve colours. I have never been an abstract artist, in fact my work is probably more directly representational than many of the contemporary painters I like best .... My principal shortcomings are probably to be termed "literary" or more particularly a "theatrical" melodramatic approach. I am fascinated by figures lit by fire or candlelight .... In politics I am of course socialist, but this is no concern of my painting ...."
AYRTON, Michael (1920-75). Paintings , [edited by James Laver], London, the Grey Walls Press, 1948, sm. 4°, FIRST EDITION, SIGNED by Ayrton, September 1948, plates by the artist, several coloured and mounted, original grey cloth, dust-jacket, with an important 8pp. letter from Ayrton to John Arlott, dated Mariners Hotel, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, S. Wales, 1. 9. 1945, loosely-inserted -- WEBSTER, John and Michael AYRTON (illustrator). The Duchess of Malfi , London, Sylvan Press, 1945, 8°, limited to 1000 copies, PRESENTATION COPY, front blank inscribed: "For John, the valuable (?) signature of the illustrator; the author not being present, from Michael, Jan. 18 1946," lithographed plates, illustrations, by Ayrton, original blue cloth, dust-jacket, with a duplicate set of plates loosely-inserted; and 7 other works illustrated by Ayrton, Hermine David Gwen Morgan and other artists. (9) Michael Ayrton was the illustrator of Clausentum , poems by John Arlott, published in 1946. The above letter to Arlott is written with the intention of assisting him as much as possible in writing either an article or, more probably, a broadcast on Ayrton's work. He supplies Arlott with basic biographical information and directs him to various corners of his studio for relevant photographs or information. "I would also like you to deal with the 'Temptation of St. Anthony' a photo of which you will find in a blue album of my work on the left hand side of the large middle (chest level) shelf of my studio bookcase. I worked on this for over a year and produced over a hundred drawings for it ... the subject deeply concerns me." In response to Arlott's evident wish to discuss his attitude to other painters, he responds: "By all means put in a bit about my feelings about Picasso, Sutherland and my faith in the future of British painting .... As for the paintings themselves; you know the recent work well enough. Treat it as you think best. My most important influences are as follows: 1st and foremost and forever my roots lie in the Gothic tradition of Flanders & early England: Mathias Grönewald, Pateniv, Breughel, etc.: Blake of course and Palmer, and at one time and another, Pavel, Tchelitchew, Rouault, Sutherland, and of course Picasso." He describes his technique in some detail, particularly the "more vigorous" treatment in his recent work which "relies on transparencies over a white ground .... I rarely paint on canvas. I use a palette of about twelve colours. I have never been an abstract artist, in fact my work is probably more directly representational than many of the contemporary painters I like best .... My principal shortcomings are probably to be termed "literary" or more particularly a "theatrical" melodramatic approach. I am fascinated by figures lit by fire or candlelight .... In politics I am of course socialist, but this is no concern of my painting ...."
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