John Armstrong
John Armstrong (1893 - 1973)
John Armstrong was born in 1893 in Hastings. He studied at St. John’s College, Oxford, 1912-13, and then at St. John’s Wood School of Art 1913-14. During the war he served in the Royal Field Artillery 1914-19, before briefly returning to St. John’s Wood School. He began his professional career as a theatre designer in London, gaining important patrons including Samuel and Elizabeth Courtauld, who commissioned Armstrong to decorate a room in their Portman Square home.
Atmstrong's first solo exhibition was at the Leicester Galleries in 1928. In 1933 he joined Unit One alongside Ben Nicholson, Paul Nash, Edward Burra, Henry Moore, Edward Wadsworth, John Bigge and Barbara Hepworth, with whom he exhibited at the Unit One exhibition. From the early 1930s onwards his work became Surrealist in style – uncanny, romantically dream-like and heavily imbued with symbolism. Armstrong died in 1973.
John Armstrong's work is held in numerous international public collections including the Tate, the Imperial War Museum, and the National Galleries of Scotland.
For more information and availability of artworks please contact the gallery
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The Treasure House Fair
Royal Hospital Chelsea 22 - 26 Jun 2023 Art FairThe Treasure House Fair is a celebration of outstanding and rare art and antiques. Held at The Royal Hospital Chelsea the fair continues the tradition of its predecessors, Masterpiece...Read more -
British Art Fair
Saatchi Gallery 29 Sep - 2 Oct 2022 Art FairStaged at the notorious Saatchi Gallery, the British Art Fair offers an unrivalled opportunity to view modern and contemporary British Art. For 2022, Piano Nobile's display included a range of...Read more -
Surrealism in Britain
129 Portland Road 17 Feb - 17 Mar 2020 Piano NobileSurrealism in Britain was a gallery display of work by John Armstrong, Cecil Beaton, Paul Nash, and other early twentieth-century artists who explored the subconscious. The display complimented Dulwich Picture...Read more -
British Art Fair 2018
Saatchi Gallery 20 - 23 Sep 2018 Art FairPiano Nobile presented a selection of Post-War and Modern British art, including works by Craigie Aitchison, Kenneth Armitage, David Bomberg, Peter Coker, William Crozier, Leslie Marr, Leon Kossoff, Paul Nash,...Read more -
Modern British Masters (III)
Selected Highlights 29 May - 20 Jun 2018 Piano NobileContinuing a series of exhibitions on the theme, Piano Nobile presents a display of Modern British Masters. Stretching from the birth of modern art at the beginning of the twentieth...Read more -
Masterpiece 2017
The Royal Hospital, Chelsea 27 Jun - 5 Jul 2017 Art FairStand D19 Piano Nobile is pleased to be returning to Masterpiece for 2017. London's leading arts and antiques fair will be at The Royal Hospital Chelsea from 29 June until...Read more -
London Art Fair 2017
Stand 7 17 - 22 Jan 2017 Art FairThe 29th edition of the fair featured over 130 participating galleries; Art Projects showcasing large scale installations, solo shows and curated group displays; Photo50, the guest curated annual showcase of...Read more -
Masterpiece 2016
Royal Hospital Gardens, Chelsea 28 Jun - 6 Jul 2016 Art FairPiano Nobile returns to Masterpiece for 2016 with Modern British, International and Contemporary art for sale.Read more -
John Armstrong: Paintings 1938 - 1958
An Enchanted Distance 21 Oct - 8 Dec 2015 Piano NobileExhibition of paintings by pre-eminent modern British artist John Armstrong (1893-1973).Read more -
20/21 British Art Fair
Royal College of Art 9 - 13 Sep 2015 Art FairPiano Nobile will exhibit at the 20/21 British Art Fair in September 2015.Read more
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InSight No. 108
John Armstrong | On the Promenade, 1947 August 24, 2022Retreating to Cornwall in 1945, John Armstrong began making visionary paintings of leaves and feathers. His imagery brims with surreal poetry. InSight No. 108 John...Read more -
John Armstrong: Dream and Reality
Southport and Penzance May 23, 2017John Armstrong exhibition, John Armstrong works of art for sale, Piano Nobile John Armstrong, Modern British Art exhibition, British Surrealism, Modern British art for saleRead more -
John Armstrong's recent auction records feature in the ATG
Antiques Trade Gazette January 30, 2016Recent auction records for John Armstrong and Piano Nobile's exhibition 'John Armstrong: Paintings 1938-1958 - An Enchanted Distance' feature in the Antiques Trade Gazette.Read more -
Kitty Hudson reviews John Armstrong: Paintings 1938-1958
Candid Magazine October 28, 2015Kitty Hudson reviews John Armstrong: Paintings 1938-1958; An Enchanted Distance in Candid MagazineRead more -
John Armstrong: Paintings 1938-1958 features on Paul's Art World
Paul Carey-Kent October 26, 2015Paul Carey-Kent reviews John Armstrong exhibition on Paul's Art World blog.Read more