British Council

Description

This file contains correspondence, meeting minutes and associated material relating to the British Council.


Herbert Read was on the Fine Arts Committee and therefore involved in selecting artists for the British Council-owned British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in the 1950s.


Correspondence includes letters to/from Herbert Read from/to Lilian Somerville, Director of the Fine Arts Department; Philip Henderson, Editor, Feature Articles Publications Department; Bernard A. Byrne, Programme Organiser Visitors Department; Professor Shigeyasu Hasumi and Gerald M. Forty, Fine Arts Department regarding numerous exhibitions including the Sao Paolo and Venice Biennales. Artists mentioned include Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Kenneth Armitage, Jacob Epstein, Patrick Heron, Alan Davie, Terry Frost, Ben Nicholson, Ceri Richards, Graham Sutherland and F. E. McWilliam.


The file also includes minutes for the meetings of the Fine Art Department’s Selection Committee from 1960-67 and correspondence between Herbert Read and the Specialist Tours Department, British Council, dated 22 Jul 1960 – 30 June 1961, 28ff. The correspondence regards a visit by Herbert Read and his wife to Yugoslavia in May 1961 as guests of the Commission for UNESCO, to visit universities and art schools and meet artists and industrial designers.


The file also includes 1 signed typescript letter from Herbert Read to the Editor of The Times, dated 12 Apr 1956, 2ff. The letter is titled ‘Art Exhibitions Abroad’ and discusses the reputation of British artists abroad.

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