John Virtue: London Paintings

John Virtue is a painter whose work rides a fine line between abstraction and figuration. He was invited to the National Gallery to become their sixth National Gallery Associate Artist because of his deep-rooted yet contemporary relationship with the great European landscape tradition that is magnificently represented in the collection. Working in the National Gallery’s studio, Virtue has made a series of large-scale paintings that represent the London cityscape looking towards St Paul’s and a smaller group showing Trafalgar Square from the roof of the National Gallery. Executed solely in black and white, they are monumental, epic works. London is a subject never before treated by a painter on such an ambitious scale. This book illustrates all of Virtue’s London paintings and a selection of drawings. Following an introduction by Charles Saumarez Smith, Simon Schama explores the artist’s place in both the context of his contemporaries and in the historical tradition of representations of the London cityscape. Paul Moorhouse examines the connection between Virtue’s earlier work and the paintings and drawings he has made since taking up residence at the National Gallery, showing how his paintings and drawings have evolved and changed in response to specific landscape subjects. Finally, Colin Wiggins considers Virtue’s new paintings in the context of his residency at the National Gallery, home to many of the artist’s ‘hero-paintings’. Published to accompany the exhibitions John Virtue: London Paintings at The National Gallery, London, from 9 March to 5 June 2005 and John Virtue: London Drawings at the Courtauld Institute of Art Gallery, London, from 10 March to 5 June 2005. Both exhibitions will be on display at the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, from 2 February to 23 April 2006.

Condition: Near fine