David Bomberg Self-Portrait 1937 © Estate of David Bomberg. All rights reserved. DACS, London 2023

Biography

Born 1890
Died 1957
Nationality English
Birth place Birmingham
Death place London

Born in Birmingham, Bomberg grew up in London's East End. He studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London from 1911 to 1913. Early in his career Bomberg painted large, near-abstract paintings, based on cubist grid patterns. He associated with Wyndham Lewis's Vorticist group, though he was not an official member. In the 1920s Bomberg's work became more naturalistic and expressive. Although he received little recognition during his life - a cause of deep depression - Bomberg's teaching at the Borough Polytechnic in London was highly influential on both Leon Kossoff and Frank Auerbach.

Glossary terms

Glossary terms

Vorticism

A radical English art movement of the early twentieth century led by Percy Wyndham Lewis. Influenced by the Futurists, they favoured urban, industrial subjects and promoted a hard-edged, angular style