New biography repositions Michael Andrews as innovative painter

The newly released biography by Christopher Lloyd, titled 'Michael Andrews: Painter of Masterpieces,' reexamines the reputation of the School of London artist, portraying him not as a gradual talent but as an innovator focused on his surroundings. Released by Modern Art Press on 26 May, the book organizes its content thematically within a flexible timeline. Andrews (1928-95), the least recognized among the School of London figures—Francis Bacon, Frank Auerbach, Lucian Freud, and Leon Kossoff—was noted by Lawrence Gowing in 1980 for creating "hardly anything but masterpieces." Born in Norwich, Andrews studied at the Slade School of Fine Art (1949-53) under William Coldstream. His notable early pieces include 'London Jazz Club (100 Oxford Street)' (1951-52) and 'August for the People' (1951). In the 1960s, he adopted a new technique, completing 'The Deer Park' (1962) in just three weeks, and utilized a spray gun and stencils for his 'Lights' series (1970-74). His later works feature depictions of Uluru and Kata Tjuta from a 1983 trip to Australia, along with portraits of Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, and Roger Daltrey. The biography also provides a reading list and an index of works, as no catalogue raisonné is available. Lloyd, a curator and former surveyor of the Queen's pictures, seeks to foster dialogue rather than deliver a conclusive narrative.