Alicia Foster

Art historian and novelist Dr Alicia Foster introduces her biography of the artist Gwen John and looks back at her life, including her long affair with Auguste Rodin, her passionate friendships with women, and her place in art history.

Foster places John firmly in the art worlds of Paris and London. She explains how John, the sister of Augustus John, crossed paths with the likes of Matisse, Picasso, Pound and Gonne, and how her art was influenced by Whistler, Denis and Cezanne. Foster says John was immersed in the literature of the age, from the writing of her friend and poet Rainer Maria Rilke to French philosophy and religious thought. And her painting was impacted by world events such as the First World War and by the unprecedented rise of women artists in the early 20th century.

‘Beautifully illustrated throughout, the book breaks down the myth of the artist as a recluse and tells the story of her life, as well as painting a vivid portrait of London and Paris of her time’ The Artist

Foster is an art historian, curator and novelist. Her books include Tate Women Artists: Gwen John, Nina Hamnett and the novel Warpaint.