Artwork
Sunset among the Michelangelos
Sunset among the Michelangelos is a watercolor work on paper by Wyndham Lewis. It dates from 1912 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This work shows Lewis pushing back against old ideas about Italian Renaissance art.
Wyndham Lewis painted *Sunset among the Michelangelos* around 1912. It’s a watercolour, not a big oil painting. Lewis studied at London’s Slade School of Art. Later he mixed British art with ideas from Europe.
This work shows Lewis pushing back against old ideas about Italian Renaissance art. He wanted something fresher, sharper. By 1913 he was called Britain’s top avant-garde artist.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Sunset among the Michelangelos is a watercolour painting created by Wyndham Lewis around 1912. It exemplifies the artist's early experimentation with avant-garde styles.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts distorted, Michelangelo-inspired figures or sculptures disintegrating on rocks against a vivid sky, reflecting Lewis's rejection of the Italian High Renaissance as the pinnacle of artistic achievement.
Technique & Style
Lewis's distinctive style, characterised by linear and formal distortion, is evident in this watercolour. His sure draughtsmanship, honed at the Slade School of Art, underpins the work's expressive qualities.
History & Provenance
Lewis studied at London's Slade School of Art from 1898 to 1901, later incorporating European influences into his work. By around 1913, he was recognised as Britain's leading avant-garde artist.
Context
The painting relates to Lewis's criticisms of Michelangelo's influence, as expressed in his 1914 publication BLAST, where he described Michelangelo as a pervasive and stifling presence in European art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Percy Wyndham Lewis (18 November 1882 – 7 March 1957) was a Canadian-born British writer, painter and critic.
