Émigré Artists in Britain after 1933

This lecture will look more closely at the experiences of the (mostly German-Jewish) émigré artists who came to this country before 1933, examining not only their achievements and their legacy, but also the challenges - not to say obstacles - they faced on their arrival.

The title for the lecture is prompted by a retrospective comment made by Berlin-born artist Harry Weinberger: “As much as I have an accent in my language, I have an accent in my painting… In German art in our century, expression and feeling comes into it a lot. Whereas mainstream art in Britain is more good taste and playing down feelings. The majority of English people find my painting too emotive, too direct. English art is refined understatement.”

While there is undoubtedly an element of truth in this claim, is it not perhaps too neat an over-simplification?