Michael Ayrton

(b London, 20 Feb 1921; d London, 16 Nov 1975). English sculptor, painter, printmaker and writer. He left school at 14 to begin his painting career. After spending time in France, Ayrton returned to England in 1939, finding success in stage design and art criticism. His writings in The Spectator (1946-8) were important in the acceptance of NEO-ROMANTICISM. From 1946 he travelled widely in Italy, admiring the Quattrocento painters, especially Piero della Francesca. At Cumae he began the preoccupation with Greek mythology that continued throughout his life; he visited Greece regularly from 1957. After 1955 sculptures became his preferred medium, although drawing remained essential and he produced etchings and lithographs. However, his many bronzes of the Minotaur, Daedalus and Icarus (e.g. Icarus III, 1960; London, Old Change Court) remain his best-known images. The Arkville Maze (1968), built of brick and masonry, contains two lifesize bronze sculptures and still stands in the estate of Armand Erpf in the Catskill Mountains, New York (see Hopkins, p. 402).

See the Abbreviations for further details.

Michael Ayrton
Sculpture of Talos on Guildhall Street in Cambridge
Born	Michael A. Gould February 20 1921(1921--) St Pancras, London [1]
Died	November 17 1975 (aged 54) Hampstead, London [2]
Nationality	British
Occupation	artist, writer, painter, printmaker, sculptor, critic, broadcaster and novelist
Spouse	Elizabeth Evelyn Balchin née Walshe (1910-1991)
Parents	Gerald Gould & Barbara Ayrton

Michael Ayrton (b. 20 February 1921 – d. 17 November 1975), was an English artist and writer, known as a painter, printmaker and sculptor, and also as a critic, broadcaster and novelist. He was a stage and costume designer, working with John Minton on the 1942 John Gielgud production of Macbeth from age 19; and a book designer and illustrator, for Wyndham Lewis's The Human Age trilogy and William Golding. He also collaborated with Constant Lambert. His work is in several important collections including the Tate Gallery, London, National Portrait Gallery, London, Museum of Modern Art, New York, Fry Art Gallery, Essex.

He was born Michael A. Gould in St Pancras, London, his parents being Gerald Gould and Barbara Ayrton; he took his mother's maiden name professionally. In 1952, he married Elizabeth Evelyn Walshe (1910-1991), the former wife of author Nigel Balchin ^[3]. He died in 1975 at Hampstead, London.

References

1. ^ GRO Register of Births: MAR 1921 1b 45 PANCRAS - Michael A. Gould, mmn = Ayrton
2. ^ GRO Register of Deaths: DEC 1975 12 2044 HAMPSTEAD - Michael Ayrton, DoB 21 Feb 1921
3. ^ GRO Register of Marriages: DEC 1952 5d 585 MARYLEBONE - Ayrton = Balchin or Walshe

• J. Laver (1947) The Paintings of Michael Ayrton
• C. P. Snow (1962) Michael Ayrton: Drawings & Sculpture
• Peter Cannon-Brookes (1978) Michael Ayrton: An Illustrated Commentary
• Justine Hopkins (1994) Michael Ayrton — a Biography
• Jacob E. Nyenhuis (2003) Myth and the Creative Process: Michael Ayrton and the Myth of Daedalus, the Maze Maker

External links

• http://www.chrisbeetles.com/pictures/artists/Ayrton_Michael/Ayrton_Michael.htm
• http://www.cambridgeprints.com/artists/a/AYRTON.HTML
• http://www.jclfa.com/Ayrton/Ayrton__2/ayrton__2.html

Persondata
NAME	Ayrton, Michael
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Gould, Michael A.
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Sculptor
DATE OF BIRTH	1921-02-20
PLACE OF BIRTH	St Pancras, London
DATE OF DEATH	1975-11-17
PLACE OF DEATH	Hampstead, London

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)