Peter Lanyon (1918-1964)

Peter Lanyon (1918 – 1964) was born and raised in Cornwall. He was one of the most important and influential artists in post war Britain, and part of the mid-century St Ives School of abstract avant-garde artists led by Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth. Lanyon died in a gliding accident at the age of 46, limiting the body of his work produced. He saw himself as part of a landscape painting tradition, and was a leading figure in mid-20th Century artistic development.

‘I want to make the point that landscape painting is not a provincial activity […] but a true ambition…’

Peter Lanyon 1963