William Crozier
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Crystal Palace I, 1960
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Ballast Bank, Troon, 1960
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Landscape Wivenhoe, 1960
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Untitled , 1960 c.
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Untitled, 1960-61, c.
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Untitled, 1970-75
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Still Life, 1980
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Death and the Maiden, 1980
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Still Life, 1980
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(Untitled) Essex Landscape, 1959
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Empty Hill, 1959
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Fallen Figure, 1962
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Ennis, 1962
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Dried Lake, Essex, 1959
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Figure in Landscape, 1972 c.
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Figure, 1961
William Crozier (1930 - 1911)
Crozier was born in Glasgow to Irish parents and educated at the Glasgow School of Art between 1949 and 1953. On graduating he spent time in Paris and Dublin before settling in London, where he quickly gained a reputation as the 1950s equivalent of a Young British Artist through the early success and notoriety of his exhibitions of assemblages and paintings at the ICA, Drian and the Arthur Tooth galleries, with whom he had a long association.
Profoundly affected by post-war existential philosophy, Crozier allied himself and his work consciously with contemporary European art throughout the 1950s and 1960s, rather than with the New York abstractionists, who were more fashionable in the UK at the time. He was also part of the artistic and literary world of 1950s Soho, a close associate of 'the Roberts', Colquhoun and Macbryde, John Minton and William Scott, and part of the expatriate middle-European and Irish intellectual circles in London of the time. By 1961 Crozier was widely seen as one of the most exciting artists in London. He had his first one-man exhibition that year at Arthur Tooth and Sons which toured to the Kunstverein in Hannover the following year.
His intellectual and painterly concerns were closely aligned to the adventurous group of abstract artists which included his close friends Roger Hilton and Terry Frost. Crozier spent 1963 in southern Spain with the Irish poet Anthony Cronin; this proved pivotal to Crozier's development as an artist. On his return to the UK, he began a series of skeletal paintings which anticipated the 'New Expressionist' German painters of the 1980s, and which were influenced by Crozier's visits to Auschwitz and Belsen. A visit to Bergen-Belsen in the 60’s left an indelible mark, and as Philip Vann has commented; for Crozier, ‘The skeleton is still very much a sentient human being: vulnerable, dignified, alone and abandoned in a landscape of astonishing beauty.' In 1964 the Arts Council included his paintings in the exhibition Six Young Painters with David Hockney, Peter Blake, Allen Jones, Bridget Riley and Euan Uglow. In 1975 Crozier was grouped alongside Francis Bacon in the important exhibition Body and Soul at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
Based in London throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Crozier exhibited his works in London, Glasgow, Dublin and all over Europe. As many artists of the 1960s did, Crozier combined painting with teaching, first at Bath Academy of Art, (with Howard Hodgkin, Gillian Ayres and Terry Frost), then at the Central School of Art and Design (with William Turnbull and Cecil Collins), at the Studio School in New York and finally at Winchester School of Art where he led a strong centre for painting based on the European tradition. When he ceased teaching in the 1980s, Crozier's painting blossomed with a new freedom and confidence. His abstract landscapes and still life painting used sumptuous colour to convey an emotional intensity and he was endlessly concerned with the challenge of creating a new language in figurative painting.
Crozier's paintings are now in demand at exhibition and at auction. He represented the UK and Ireland overseas, and has been awarded the Premio Lissone in Milan and the Oireachtas Gold medal for Painting in Dublin in 1994. In 1991 the Crawford Art Gallery Cork and the Royal Hibernian Academy curated a retrospective of his work. He was elected to Aosdana in 1992 and was an honorary member of the Royal Hibernian Academy. In 2005 Crozier celebrated his 75th birthday with a major exhibition in Cork to celebrate the European Capital of Culture. Here Crozier exhibited a selection of his drawing work, providing the first opportunity to see that the master of colour was also an inventive artist in black and white.
Crozier's work has recently been purchased by the National Gallery of Ireland and the Scottish National Gallery. Commenting to the Keeper of the Scottish National Gallery, in relation to the museum’s acquisition of Burning Field Essex, Crozier explained: ‘It is the custom in Essex for farmers to burn the stubble in the fields after harvest. . . making them black and dark against the skyline. It was reminiscent of those magnificent photographs of the battlefields in France and Flanders during the First World War. I have always found a fascination in this kind of desolate and ravaged landscape.’
Piano Nobile represents the Estate of William Crozier.
For more information and availability of artworks please contact the gallery
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William Crozier
Nature into Abstraction 2022SoftbackRead more
Publisher: Piano Nobile
ISBN: 978-1-901192-61-2
Dimensions: 28 x 24cm -
William Crozier
Seize the Flow'r 2022Softback, 55 pagesRead more
Publisher: Piano Nobile
ISBN: 978-1-901192-60-5
Dimensions: 28 x 24cm -
William Crozier
The Edge of the Landscape Coulter, Riann; Crouan, Katharine; Glennie, Sarah; Hudson, Mark; Juncosa, Enrique; Kissane, Sean; Turner, Sarah, 2017Softback, 144 pagesRead more
Publisher: Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Dublin
ISBN: 978-1-901192-48-3
Dimensions: 32 x 28 cm -
Aspects of Abstraction 1952-2007
Margaret Garlake, 2016Hardback, 80 pagesRead more
Publisher: Piano Nobile Publications
ISBN: 9781901192438
Dimensions: 28.8 x 24.6 x 1.3 cm -
William Crozier
Works 1958-1964 2013Booklet, 8 pagesRead more
Publisher: Piano Nobile Publications
Dimensions: 15 x 20 cm -
20th Century Modern British Art
Developments in Modern British Art 2013Booklet, 8 pagesRead more
Publisher: Piano Nobile Publications
Dimensions: 15 x 20 cm
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William Crozier
Nature into Abstraction 14 Feb - 22 Mar 2024Between 1958 and 1961, William Crozier (1930—2011) was making paintings inspired by his encounters with landscape. The results were not ‘landscapes’, ‘cityscapes’ or even ‘pictures’ but freeform expressions of his...Read more -
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 -
Nature into Abstraction
William Crozier at The Lightbox Woking 2 Apr - 19 Jun 2022Between 1958 and 1961, William Crozier produced a series of daring and original landscape paintings. He lived in north Essex at the time and found inspiration in those bleak environs,...Read more -
William Crozier
Seize the Flow'r 11 Mar - 31 May 2022 Piano NobileReturning from a visit to New York in 1979, William Crozier had a rush of creative energy. Newly confident in his European identity and inspired by art of the past,...Read more -
Defining British Art
1910 - 2000 17 May - 23 Jul 2021Piano Nobile is pleased to present ninety years of British art. This exhibition reviews the major creative outbursts in twentieth-century Britain, with paintings, sculptures, ceramics and textiles made by four...Read more -
Masterpiece
Online Viewing Room 22 - 28 Jun 2020Highlights from our online display included work by Ben and Winifred Nicholson, William Turnbull, Leon Kossoff, Frank Auerbach, William Crozier, David Bomberg, Lucian Freud and Barbara Hepworth . Also on...Read more -
British Art Fair 2019
Stand 17 3 - 6 Oct 2019 Art FairPiano Nobile is pleased to be exhibiting at the British Art Fair 2019. Following the fair's great success in 2018, it will be held at the Saatchi Gallery for a...Read more -
William Crozier
Early Works 27 Sep - 30 Oct 2019 Piano NobileWilliam Crozier | Early Works presents an exclusive selection of Crozier's oils and works on paper from the 1950s-70s. The show offers visceral and ravaged Essex Landscapes alongside existential Skeletal...Read more -
London Art Fair 2019
Stand 7 16 - 20 Jan 2019 Art FairPiano Nobile is pleased to be exhibiting at the London Art Fair 2019 . The exhibition will be held at the Business Design Centre in Islington. The stand will include...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 -
Masterpiece 2018
The Royal Hospital, Chelsea 28 Jun - 4 Jul 2018 Art FairPiano Nobile is returning to Masterpiece for 2018 (Stand D16). London's leading arts and antiques fair will be at The Royal Hospital Chelsea from 28 June until 4 July...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 -
William Crozier
Savagery Beneath the Surface 3 Oct - 15 Dec 2017Piano Nobile presents William Crozier: Savagery Beneath the Surface, an exhibition showcasing the paintings of William Crozier, staged in collaboration with a major retrospective of Crozier’s entire career held at...Read more -
20/21 British Art Fair 2017
St. James's, London 13 - 17 Sep 2017 Art FairPiano Nobile is delighted to be returning to the 20/21 British Art Fair 2017, which runs from Wednesday 13 - Sunday 18 September.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 -
Aspects of Abstraction
1952-2007 17 May - 23 Jun 2016 Piano NobilePiano Nobile presents a selection of Post-War abstract art for sale, Modern British art for sale, in Aspects of Post-War Abstraction exhibition.Read more -
London Art Fair
Stand 8 20 - 25 Jan 2015 Art FairPiano Nobile is exhibiting at the London Art Fair, Islington in January 2015.Read more -
20/21 British Art Fair
Royal College of Art 10 - 14 Sep 2014 Art FairThe 20/21 British Art Fair is the only fair to specialise in British art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Held at the Royal College of Art, 'the spiritual home...Read more -
ART14
Stand D2 28 Feb - 2 Mar 2014 Art FairPIANO NOBILE is pleased to be exhibiting at Art14. The second edition of London's global art fair, held in Olympia's Grand Hall, opens its doors on Friday 28 February and...Read more -
The London Art Fair 2014
Stand 8 15 - 19 Jan 2014 Art FairLondon Art Fair is one of the UK's premier destinations for Modern British and contemporary art. The 26th edition takes place at the Business Design Centre, Islington, from 15 -...Read more -
William Crozier
Works 1958 - 1964 16 Oct - 7 Dec 2013 Piano NobileOne man show of the work of William Crozier, focusing on the years 1958 1964 at Piano Nobile GalleryRead more -
20th Century British Art
Developments in Modern British Art 20 Jun - 20 Jul 2013 Piano Nobile20th Century: Modern British Art - Developments in Modern British ArtRead more
Piano Nobile Gallery
Summer show with selected works following the developments in 20th Century British Art
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William Crozier Gallery Talk with Thomas Marks & Katharine Crouan
March 13, 2024The talk considers Crozier's paintings from 1958-62, which are the focus of the current exhibition at the gallery, open until 22 March 2024. The discussion also looks at how these paintings relate to his later works and the wider art historical context of post-war British art. Thomas Marks is a leading writer and art critic. He was editor of Apollo from 2013-21 and has contributed to numerous publications, among them Prospect, Literary Review and the Times Literary Supplement. Marks has written and lectured widely on historical and contemporary art, and...Read more -
William Crozier Seize the Flow'r
Exhibition March 11, 2022
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William Crozier | Nature into Abstraction
artdaily.com February 1, 2024Artdaily.com features Piano Nobile's William Crozier | Nature into Abstraction exhibition.Read more -
Top 5 Theatre Show & Art Exhibition Picks
Culture Calling February 1, 2024Culture Calling highlights Piano Nobile's William Crozier | Nature into Abstraction exhibition as one of their Top 5 Art & Theatre Exhibitions to visit.Read more -
InSight No. 99
William Crozier | Still Life March 16, 2022To coincide with Piano Nobile’s new exhibition William Crozier: Seize the Flow’r, InSight considers a significant group of still life paintings made by Crozier upon...Read more -
William Crozier
The Lightbox, Woking January 13, 2022Opening this spring, a rare and exciting exhibition considers the early landscape work of William Crozier. Focusing on just three years of his output between...Read more -
William Crozier: The Edge of Landscape is reviewed in Studio International
March 1, 2018William Crozier: The Edge of Landscape , a major retrospective of the artists work at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, has been reviewed...Read more -
The Sunday Times reviews William Crozier exhibition
Cristin Leach August 6, 2017William Crozier exhibition, review, The Sunday Times art review, Irish Times art review, Irish artist exhibitionRead more -
William Crozier: The Edge of the Landscape
West Cork and Dublin May 23, 2017The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Dublin, together with the West Cork Arts Centre, Skibbereen, and Piano Nobile, Kings Place are to present a...Read more -
Imperial War Museum acquires major William Crozier painting
London October 25, 2015London's Imperial War Museum acquires a painting by William Crozier.Read more -
National Gallery of Ireland acquire Crozier from Piano Nobile
William Crozier October 18, 2012William Crozier's Flanders Fields (1962) - one of the most recent acquisitions at National Gallery of Ireland from Piano Nobile, London - goes on view...Read more