Robert Medley - Revision history

LGBT-HP: Fix bare tag: MW 1.45.1 Cite requires self-closing

2026-07-10T13:10:11Z

Fix bare <references> tag: MW 1.45.1 Cite requires self-closing <references/>

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:10, 10 July 2026
Line 26:		Line 26:
	==References==		==References==
	Based on a Wikipedia article.		Based on a Wikipedia article.
	<references>		<references/>

	[[Category:Painters]]		[[Category:Painters]]
	[[Category:1905 births]]		[[Category:1905 births]]
	[[Category:1994 deaths]]		[[Category:1994 deaths]]

Ross Burgess at 13:20, 10 April 2016

2016-04-10T13:20:30Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:20, 10 April 2016
Line 2:		Line 2:

	==Early life==		==Early life==
	Charles Robert Owen Medley was born on 19 December 1905 in London, the son of Charles Medley, a copyright lawyer who was friends with many writers of the day. He was educated at [[Gresham's School]], [[Holt]], [[Norfolk]] (1919–23), the Byam Shaw School of Art in 1923–24, Royal Academy Schools in 1924, at the Slade School of Fine Art in 1924–26, and in Paris in 1926–28.		Charles Robert Owen Medley was born on 19 December 1905 in London, the son of Charles Medley, a copyright lawyer who was friends with many writers of the day. He was educated at [[Gresham's School]], [[Holt]], [[Norfolk]] (1919–23), the Byam Shaw School of Art in 1923–24, Royal Academy Schools in 1924, at the [[Slade School of Fine Art ]]in 1924–26, and in Paris in 1926–28.

	At school Medley was the friend of [[W H Auden]], and first suggested that Auden might write poetry (although Medley did not know at the time that he had this effect). As described in his memoir, ''Drawn from the Life'', in his early years he believed he was heterosexual (and therefore did not understand Auden's erotic intentions toward him until they spent a single weekend together after both had left school). Until he was seduced at 19 (he recalled later), "I was still under the illusion that I was entirely heterosexual."<ref>Robert Medley, ''Drawn from the Life, a memoir''.		At school Medley was the friend of [[W H Auden]], and first suggested that Auden might write poetry (although Medley did not know at the time that he had this effect). As described in his memoir, ''Drawn from the Life'', in his early years he believed he was heterosexual (and therefore did not understand Auden's erotic intentions toward him until they spent a single weekend together after both had left school). Until he was seduced at 19 (he recalled later), "I was still under the illusion that I was entirely heterosexual."<ref>Robert Medley, ''Drawn from the Life, a memoir''.

Ross Burgess at 20:02, 17 June 2015

2015-06-17T20:02:27Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:02, 17 June 2015
Line 31:		Line 31:
	[[Category:1905 births]]		[[Category:1905 births]]
	[[Category:1994 deaths]]		[[Category:1994 deaths]]
	~~[[Category:articles with no pictures]]~~

Ross Burgess at 20:01, 17 June 2015

2015-06-17T20:01:34Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:01, 17 June 2015
Line 1:		Line 1:
	'''Robert Medley''' (Charles Robert Owen Medley, 1905–1994), was a painter who worked in both abstract and figurative styles, and a theatre designer. He held several teaching positions, in London and Rome.		[[File:Robert medley.jpg\|thumb\|One of his abstract paintings]]'''Robert Medley''' (Charles Robert Owen Medley, 1905–1994), was a painter who worked in both abstract and figurative styles, and a theatre designer. He held several teaching positions, in London and Rome.

	==Early life==		==Early life==

Ross Burgess: Created page with "'''Robert Medley''' (Charles Robert Owen Medley, 1905–1994), was a painter who worked in both abstract and figurative styles, and a theatre designer. He held several teachin..."

2014-06-14T16:56:28Z

Created page with "'''Robert Medley''' (Charles Robert Owen Medley, 1905–1994), was a painter who worked in both abstract and figurative styles, and a theatre designer. He held several teachin..."

New page

'''Robert Medley''' (Charles Robert Owen Medley, 1905–1994), was a painter who worked in both abstract and figurative styles, and a theatre designer. He held several teaching positions, in London and Rome.

==Early life==
Charles Robert Owen Medley was born on 19 December 1905 in London, the son of Charles Medley, a copyright lawyer who was friends with many writers of the day. He was educated at [[Gresham's School]], [[Holt]], [[Norfolk]] (1919–23), the Byam Shaw School of Art in 1923–24, Royal Academy Schools in 1924, at the Slade School of Fine Art in 1924–26, and in Paris in 1926–28.

At school Medley was the friend of [[W H Auden]], and first suggested that Auden might write poetry (although Medley did not know at the time that he had this effect). As described in his memoir, ''Drawn from the Life'', in his early years he believed he was heterosexual (and therefore did not understand Auden's erotic intentions toward him until they spent a single weekend together after both had left school). Until he was seduced at 19 (he recalled later), "I was still under the illusion that I was entirely heterosexual."<ref>Robert Medley, ''Drawn from the Life, a memoir''.
Faber and Faber, 1983
isbn 0-571-13043-7
page 54</ref>

==Career==
In Paris in 1926 he met a dancer, [[Rupert Doone]], with whom he lived for the rest of Doone's life. In 1932 he and Doone cofounded the Group Theatre (London), for which Medley served as artistic director, either designing the Group's productions or supervising designs that included masks by Henry Moore. Medley and Doone invited Auden to write plays for the Group, and through Auden Medley met [[Stephen Spender]], Louis MacNeice, and others who became associated with the Group.

From 1929 to 1934 he worked with [[Duncan Grant]] and [[Vanessa Bell]], and he exhibited paintings with the London Group from 1929. His first solo show was at the ''London Artists' Association'' in 1932. During the 1930s he worked mostly in various avant-garde styles. He had a painting in the International Surrealist Exhibition in London in 1936. In 1937 Medley founded the Artists' International Association (AIA), which promoted socialist and avant-garde art. In 1938 he chaired a widely-noticed debate between Realists and Surrealists organized by the AIA.

During the Second World War Medley served as an official war artist, and as a camouflage officer in the Western Desert.<ref>Geoffrey and Natalie Barkas, ''The Camouflage Story (from Aintree to Alamein)'' Cassell 1952 Page 141.</ref>

He taught at the Chelsea Art School (now part of the [[Chelsea]] College of Art and Design) in 1945–49, at the Slade School of Fine Art in 1958–66, and as chairman of the faculty of painting at the British School in Rome in 1966–77.

In the 1950s he was one of the first English painters who turned to abstraction, but in later years returned to figurative painting. These last paintings are the most widely-respected of his works.

A retrospective exhibition was held at Whitechapel Art Gallery in 1963.

In 1982 he was appointed CBE. In 1985 he was elected to the Royal Academy. A centenary tribute at James Hyman Fine Art (a London gallery) in 2005 was accompanied by a catalogue with essays about Medley's work.

==References==
Based on a Wikipedia article.
<references>

[[Category:Painters]]
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:articles with no pictures]]