Gerald A COOPER, NS(British, 1898-1975) |
Self-Portrait (c.1930)
© Private Collection
Part of a brilliant group at the Royal College of Art, who subsequently had a long and distinguished career as a painter, sculptor and teacher and whose work has become increasingly sought after
Gerald Cooper was born in London in 1898 and led a long, successful career as a painter, sculptor and teacher whose works included landscapes, horses, and children’s portraits until, in his later career, he totally changed direction to concentrate on floral still life subjects in the manner of the old Dutch Masters.
During the First World War he served in the Observer Corps and Royal Flying Corps, afterwards attending West Bromwich School of Art and, from 1921, studying at the Royal College of Art, London.
It was at the Royal College of Art that Cooper met his future wife, Muriel Minter (British, 1897-1983), also an artist. Gerry and Mint, as they were known, were part of a brilliant group at the College, which was then under the direction of Sir William Rothenstein, (German, 1872-British, 1945). Their contemporaries included Henry Moore, OM, CH, FBA (British, 1898-1986), Dame Barbara Hepworth, DBE (British, 1903-1975), Vivian Pitchforth, RA, RWS (British, 1895-1982), Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe, OBE, RA, RSPB (British, 1901-1979), Raymond Coxon (British, 1896-1997) and his wife Edna Ginesi (British, 1902-2000).
Cooper was keenly interested in art education and was appointed Principal of Wimbledon School of Art in 1930 (now Wimbledon College of Art) a role he filled for the following 34 years until his retirement in 1964. He lived in Chelsea from 1928, Wimbledon from 1933, and East Horsley, Surrey from 1940.
He was a member of the National Society of Painters, Sculptors and Gravers/Printmakers (NS) and exhibited nine paintings at the Royal Academy (RA) and five at The New English Art Club (NEAC) between 1928 and 1940, as well as exhibiting at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. His works are highly sought after and are to be found in the Tate Collection, London, and collections all over the world.
© Albany Fine Art
 |
