Alan Sorrell: A Life Reconstructed, until 25^th January, Sir John Soane’s Museum: 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP

It is surprising that the artistic output of Alan Sorrell (1904 – 1974) has not been celebrated before this exhibition in which many of the works on show come from the collection held by Sorrell’s son.

 The exhibition traces his artistic career, including his two-year scholarship at the British School in Rome (1928-1930).  He was a member of the Neo-Romantic school between the wars and went on to create scenes of RAF life while serving during the Second World War. Also on view are three panels from his mural Working Boats from Around the British Coast which was commissioned for the Festival of Britain in 1951.  It decorated the Nelson Bar of the HMS Campania, an aircraft carrier used as an exhibition space during the Festival.

AlanSorrell – Working Boats from Around the British Coast, HMS Campania, 1951, detail
Image is copyright

A great lover of archaeology, particularly Roman Britain, he is well-known for his reconstructions of historical monuments and sites and tableaux of ancient life and examples on view will bring back memories to those of us who remember seeing them at Ministry of Works run ancient monuments.  Jerzy Kierkuc-Bielinski, Curator of Sir John Soane’s Museum, says: “Sorrell did so much through his work to bring life to the lost archaeological sites of Roman and Norman Britain. I hope that this exhibition will bring to life the important legacy of Sorrell’s work”.

Alan Sorrell – Roman Silchester
copyright Sir John Soane’s Museum

There is also a book: Alan Sorrell: The Life and Works of an English Neo-Romantic Artist is sponsored by Liss Fine Arts and is published by Sansom & Company Ltd in September 2013. It has 208 pages and over 150 illustrations. The book is priced £25 soft back. SBN: 978-1-908326-37-9

http://www.soane.org