Two Figures Seated

Percy Wyndham Lewis: A Life in Art and Literature

• Born: November 18, 1882, on a yacht near Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Died: March 7, 1957, London, England (aged 74)
• Nationality: British (though born in Canada)

Early Life and Artistic Development

• Lewis’s early life was marked by parental separation; his mother returned to England with him around 1890.
• He received formal art training at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London (1898–1901), though he left before completing his course.
• Spent time in Paris studying art and was influenced by Henri Bergson's process philosophy, although later critiqued it.
• Early work showed influences from Expressionism and Cubism, which he began to explore upon returning to London in 1908.
• Associated with the Camden Town Group and briefly worked at Roger Fry’s Omega Workshops before founding the Rebel Art Centre.

Vorticism and Blast

• Founding of Vorticism: Lewis, along with Ezra Pound and others, developed Vorticism around 1914 – a movement that sought to combine Cubist structure with Futurist dynamism.
• Blast Magazine: He co-edited the literary magazine *Blast*, which served as a platform for Vorticist ideas and showcased radical graphic design and poetry. The magazine’s manifesto challenged Victorian values.
• Vorticist Aesthetic: Lewis articulated the Vorticist aesthetic, emphasizing geometric abstraction and the energy of modern machinery.
• Short-Lived Movement: The First World War significantly disrupted the Vorticist movement, leading to its dissolution.

World War I and Later Artistic Career

• Served as a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery during World War I, experiencing frontline combat.
• Appointed an official war artist for both Canadian and British governments, producing works like *A Canadian Gun-pit* (1918) and *A Battery Shelled* (1919).
• Post-war, explored various artistic directions, including Dadaism and Surrealism.
• Developed a distinctive portrait style, often imbuing his subjects with a machine-like quality.
• His later works showed mythological influences.

Literary Works and Historical Significance

• Prolific Writer: Lewis was also a significant writer, producing novels, essays, and autobiographical works.
• Notable Novels: His novels include *Tarr* (1916–17), *The Childermass*, *Monstre Gai*, and *Malign Fiesta*.
• Critical Essays: Wrote influential critiques of modernism, politics, and society in works like *Time and Western Man* and *The Art of Being Ruled*.
• Controversial Figure: Lewis was a controversial figure known for his combative personality and sometimes provocative political views.
• Modernist Legacy: Despite controversies, he remains a significant figure in British modernism, recognized for his innovative art and challenging literary works. His Vorticist movement, though brief, left a lasting impact on the development of abstract art in Britain.