“Ɖs z ɖ frst mêjr xibišn fr ovr fortīfîv yirz v ɖ wrc v ɖ Britiš ātist Lion Unḍwd (1890-1975). Dscrîbd az ɖ pricrsr v modn sculpčr in Britn, h wz a significnt inflụns on ātists sč az Îlīn Êgar, Bābra Hepwrʈ n Henri Mur. In a pirı̣d ẇr mni ātists wr drwn t abstraẋn, ɖ hymn figr rmend at ɖ hāt v Unḍwd’z wrc ʈrt hiz c̣rir.
Pamela Booth (dates unknown), Leon Underwood with Violin Rhythm, c.1934, Black and white photograph Private collection
Olɖo phps bst nôn az a sculptr, Unḍwd olso wrct az a pêntr n printmêcr. Unḍwd’z xūbṛnt lîfdrōñz brôc fri fṛm ɖ ac̣demic tṛdišnz v ātscūlz, n at hiz ôn Brŭcgrīn Scūl v Āt h inspîrd a jeṇrešn v Britiš ātists, n wz t b a drîvñ fws in wŭdingrevñ v ɖ 1920z n 30z. Hiz travlz in Mexico n West Africa, az wel az hiz c̣lẋnz v non-westn āt, wr t līd t ɖ criešn v a dvrs bodi v sculpčrz, pêntñz, prints n drōñz n ɖz wr t intṛdys a vîtl n riɖmic eṇji intu Modn Britiš āt. Ɖ xibišn čāts ɖ dveḷpmnt v Unḍwd’z wrc fṛm ŕli pêntñz bêst on hiz xpirı̣nsz az a caṃflāžātist in ɖ Frst Wrldwor t hiz bronzsculpčrz on fiḷsoficl ʈīmz crietd in ɖ 1950z n 1960z.
Ɖ xibišn includz ovr 100 wrcs fṛm prîvt c̣lẋnz n public myziymz, includñ ɖ Ašmôlı̣n Myziym, ɖ Impirı̣l Wormyziym, Līdz Myziymz n Ātgaḷriz, n ɖ Našnl Pwtritgaḷri. It z acumṗnid bî a fŭli iḷstretd caṭlog aveḷbl fṛm ɖ Gaḷri Bcšop, n a prôgram v twcs, turz n crietv wrcšops. In Rūm 17 ɖr z a cómpḷmntri dsple Wŭdingrevñ n ɖ Brŭcgrīn Scūl: Îlīn Êgar, Grtrūd Hrmīz, Bler Hyz-Stantn, Henri Mur n ɖer Cntmprriz.”
Leon Underwood, Mary, Lizzie, John and Garth, 1919–20 Tempera on board Private collection
Granny Ashdown, 1922. Etching on paper
Venus in Kensington Gardens, 1921. Oil on canvas
Reclining Model in the Studio, c. 1920-2. Tempera on board
Untitled (Foetus), 1924–5
Pharoah’s Icon (also known as Caesar and Slave), 1925. Wood engraving on paper
Two Musicians, c.1925. Watercolour and pencil on paper
Chacmoolocos Destiny, 1929. Oil on canvas
Cover design for The Island, 1931. Wood engraving on paper, 20 x 16 cm