John Piper (artist)

For other people named John Piper, see John Piper.

John Piper
CH
John Piper by Anthony Stones, 1983
Born
John Egerton Christmas Piper

(1903-12-13)13 December 1903
Epsom, Surrey, England
Died28 June 1992(1992-06-28) (aged 88)
Fawley Bottom, Buckinghamshire, England
EducationRichmond School of Art
Alma materRoyal College of Art
Known forPainting (oil and acrylic), printmaking, set design, stained glass
Notable work
  • The Englishman's Home
  • Coventry Cathedral Baptistry Window
Spouses
  • Eileen Holding (m. 1929–1936, divorced)
  • Myfanwy Evans (m. 1937–1992, his death)

John Egerton Christmas Piper CH (13 December 1903 – 28 June 1992) was an English painter, printmaker and designer of stained-glass windows and both opera and theatre sets. His work often focused on the British landscape, especially churches and monuments, and included tapestry designs, book jackets, screen prints, photography, fabrics and ceramics. He was educated at Epsom College and trained at the Richmond School of Art followed by the Royal College of Art in London.[1] He turned from abstraction early in his career, concentrating on a more naturalistic but distinctive approach, but often worked in several different styles throughout his career.

Piper was an official war artist in World War II and his wartime depictions of bomb-damaged churches and landmarks, most notably those of Coventry Cathedral, made Piper a household name and led to his work being acquired by several public collections.[2] Piper collaborated with many others, including the poets John Betjeman and Geoffrey Grigson on the Shell Guides,[3][4] the potter Geoffrey Eastop and the artist Ben Nicholson. In his later years, he produced many limited-edition prints.

  1. ^ Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr, Martin Butlin (1964–65). The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, volume II. London: Oldbourne Press; cited at Artist biography: John PIPER b. 1903. Tate. Retrieved February 2014.
  2. ^ Frances Spalding (2009). John Piper, Myfanwy Piper: Lives in Art. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-956761-4.
  3. ^ Archaeology: A reference handbook by Alan Edwin Day, p. 254. ISBN 978-0-208-01672-0.
  4. ^ Guide to Reference Books by Eugene P. Sheehy, p. 636. ISBN 978-0-8389-0390-2.