Burra, Edward John, 1905-1976

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Edward Burra was born in 1905 and was privately educated. He took to art in his teenage years after the beginning of the ill health which was to last the rest of his life, but never impeded him. He studied at Chelsea Polytechnic in 1921-3, and at the Royal College of Art in 1923-5. During this time he met the core group of friends whom he kept for the rest of his life, including William 'Billy' Chappell, Paul Nash, Barbara Key-Seymer, John Banting, Frederick Ashton, Beatrice Dawson, Gerald Corcoran and Conrad Aiken. After college he lived much of the rest of his life at his parent's house near Rye, Sussex. Burra travelled widely and as often as possible. He visited France, Spain, America and Mexico, and spent much of his time in low bars, nightclubs, dance-halls and cinemas from which he drew inspiration. His first solo show was at the Leicester Galleries in 1929. He exhibited with 'Art Now' and 'Unit One' at the Mayor Gallery in 1933 and 1934, and in the International Surrealist Exhibition of 1936. Burra also produced illustrations and designed sets and costumes for six ballets, an opera and a musical comedy. From 1952 he exhibited at the Lefevre Gallery focusing on still-life and landscape subjects. In 1958 the Hayward Gallery held a retrospective of his work. Burra avoided artistic groups and institutions, only involving himself with 'Unit One' and refusing an Associate Royal Academician in 1963. He died in 1976.

From the guide to the Papers of Edward Burra, 1901-1970s, (Tate Gallery Archive GB 70)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Burra, Edward John, 1905-1976. Artist file. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
referencedIn Sir William Rothenstein correspondence and other papers, 1887-1957. Houghton Library
referencedIn Papers of the photographer Barbara Marcia Ker-Seymer, 1905-1993 Tate Gallery Archive
creatorOf Burra, Edward. [Edward Burra] : artist file John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Library, Ringling Museum Library
creatorOf Burra, Edward John, 1905-1976. Edward Burra : artist file : study photographs and reproductions of works of art with accompanying documentation 1930?-1990 [graphic] [compiled by staff of The Museum of Modern Art, New York]. Frick Art Reference Library of The Frick Collection
creatorOf Aiken, Conrad, 1889-1973. Papers of Conrad Aiken, 1851-1983, (bulk 1920-1970). Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Correspondence to Paul Nash from Edward Burra and Alexander Calder, 1931-1942 Tate Gallery Archive
referencedIn Burra, Edward, 1905-1976 : [miscellaneous ephemeral material]. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
creatorOf Papers of Edward Burra, 1901-1970s Tate Gallery Archive
creatorOf Burra, Edward John, 1905-1976. [Edward Burra : artist file] Detroit Institute of Arts Research Library & Archives, DIA Research Library & Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith A. I. A. London corporateBody
associatedWith Aiken, Conrad, 1889-1973. person
associatedWith Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts London corporateBody
associatedWith Detroit Institute of Arts Research Library & Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Edward Burra, person
associatedWith Key-Seymer, Barbara., 1905-1993 person
associatedWith Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Nash, Paul person
associatedWith National Gallery, Millbank London corporateBody
associatedWith Rothenstein John Knewstub Maurice person
correspondedWith Rothenstein, William, Sir, 1872-1945 person
associatedWith The Cresset Press corporateBody
associatedWith The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Unit One corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Art
Art, British
Artists
Arts
Set designers
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1905-03-29

Death 1976-10-22

Britons

English

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