John Piper

Published to accompany the John Piper exhibition at the Tate Liverpool and written by its curator, this book presents a comprehensive examination of the English artist’s role as champion of modernism in Britain.

John Piper (1903–1992) is renowned for his extraordinarily diverse practice that embraced landscape, architectural and abstract compositions, as well as his theatre and stage sets for Benjamin Britten and his stained-glass windows. The exhibition at Tate Liverpool is the first to examine Piper’s role in European modernism, presenting major works by Piper alongside selected works by artists including Jean Hélion and Alexander Calder.

The book contains works by Piper including painting, relief, collage and photography and also presents comparative works and information compiling over 70 images. The book is divided into the following sections:

1. Introduction

2. Early Paintings & Drawings

3. Going Abstract

4. Picturesque Landscapes & War Artist

5. The Postwar Landscape

Accompanying the exhibition, this book offers an innovative look at the work of an incredibly versatile artist, evidencing how Piper’s work fused the creation of the European avant-garde with a powerful sensitivity to Britain and its history.