Making the Modern Artist - Culture, Class and Art-Educational Opportunity in Romantic Britain

The book "Making the Modern Artist" explores the myths and realities of the origins of the "modern artist" in Britain, revealing hidden stories about family origins, personal networks, and patterns of opportunity and social mobility. It locates the emergence of the "modern artist" in the crucible of Romantic Britain and demonstrates surprising continuities between liberal individualism and state formation, our dreams of personal freedom, and the social suffering characteristic of the modern era.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 04 September 2020
Publisher: Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

The artist has held a privileged position in the modern era, embodying ideals of personal and political freedom, self-fulfillment, and artistic expression. However, the question of who can become an artist and whether our deeply held beliefs withstand scrutiny arises. In his book, Making the Modern Artist, author Simon Schama delves into the historical origins of the artist's figure, conducting an unprecedented biographical survey of nearly 1,800 students at the Royal Academy of Arts in London between 1769 and 1830. Through this comprehensive study, Schama uncovers hidden stories about family backgrounds, personal networks, and patterns of opportunity and social mobility. By situating the emergence of the "modern artist" in the context of Romantic Britain rather than in 19th-century Paris or 20th-century New York, Schama reconnects the story of art with the rise of capitalism and reveals surprising continuities between liberal individualism, state formation, our aspirations for personal freedom, and the social suffering that characterizes the modern era. This insightful work, distributed for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, sheds light on the complex and multifaceted origins of the "modern artist" and offers valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of art, society, and individual identity.

Weight: 1398g
Dimension: 224 x 280 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913107154