Artists' Lives

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Engaging encounters, personal anecdotes, and critical insights into the vibrant world of modern art are presented by an international insider. Michael Peppiatt, hailed by the Art Newspaper as "the best art writer of his generation," draws on over fifty years of experience with European modern artists. This collection showcases his biographical writing, featuring a diverse range of artists from Van Gogh and Pierre Bonnard to intimate conversations with Sonia Delaunay, Dora Maar, and Francis Bacon, with whom Peppiatt developed personal friendships. His lively prose immerses readers in the art world, capturing moments with notable figures like Antoni Tàpies in his studio and reflecting on disillusionment with the self-mythologizing Balthus. Blending art criticism with anecdotes, Peppiatt recounts experiences such as riding with Lucian Freud in his Bentley and discussing Picasso's trousers with David Hockney. The essays also highlight under-recognized artists like Dachau survivor Zoran Music and Montenegrin artist Dado, whose retrospective Peppiatt curated at the 2009 Venice Biennale. Varied in scope and accessible to general readers, these texts offer perceptive commentary and personal insights into some of the greatest creative minds of the modern era.