Peter Lanyon

Peter Lanyon was renowned for his abstract yet deeply landscape-rooted paintings that sought to evoke the spirit and energy of his native Cornwall.

Born in St. Ives, Cornwall in 1918, Lanyon's early life and artistic development were profoundly shaped by the rugged coastal landscape. He was a central figure of the St. Ives School, a group of artists who redefined British modernism through innovative approaches to abstraction.

Lanyon initially studied at the Penzance School of Art and later trained under the influential artist Ben Nicholson and sculptor Naum Gabo in the 1930s. Their teachings introduced him to European modernism and Constructivist principles, which became formative influences on his practice.

During World War II, Lanyon served in the Royal Air Force, an experience that later shaped his interest in aerial perspectives and dynamic spatial compositions.

Lanyon's art, such as Orpheus (1961), strives to capture the physicality, atmosphere and emotional resonance of the Cornish landscape. His approach combined elements of gestural abstraction with an acute sensitivity to environmental forces — wind, sea and light.

In the 1950s, Lanyon gained international recognition, exhibiting alongside contemporaries like Barbara Hepworth and Patrick Heron. He represented Britain at the Venice Biennale in 1954, a significant milestone in his career. His artistic philosophy extended beyond visual aesthetics; he sought to evoke a multisensory engagement with the landscape, emphasising experiential rather than purely representational qualities.

Lanyon's passion for exploring his native landscape extended to gliding, which he took up in 1959. The aerial perspectives gained from his flights deeply informed his later works, such as Soaring Flight (1960). Lanyon tragically died in 1964 at the age of 46 following a gliding accident. His works are held in major collections, including Tate Britain and The Museum of Modern Art, New York.