Biography of Peter Norton: A Remarkable and Dynamic Figure
Peter Norton, a notable figure known for his dynamic and sometimes reckless personality, was a prominent individual in the art world. He was remembered for his sharp tongue and generous nature, with anecdotes highlighting his unique character. Delving into his early life, education, and influences, the biography explores the various stages of Peter Norton's life, from his upbringing in a prestigious family to his passion for modern art. Discover the intriguing story of Peter Norton, a figure who left a lasting impression on those around him.
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PETER NORTON She bought everything, that woman.
QUOTE FROM PAUL CUMMINGS, ABOUT PETER NORTON AT ICA, INTERVIEWING PETER QUOTE FROM PAUL CUMMINGS, ABOUT PETER NORTON AT ICA, INTERVIEWING PETER STROUD, ARTISTS LIVES, BRITISH LIBRARY STROUD, ARTISTS LIVES, BRITISH LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPH PHOTOGRAPHOF PETER NORTON BY IDA KAR, MID 1950S, NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY OF PETER NORTON BY IDA KAR, MID 1950S, NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY Peter Norton certainly had a reputation, at home and abroad, as dynamic often reckless, sharp tongued but generous. She once sent a whole parmesan to a monk fasting on Mount Athos
WHO WAS PETER NORTON (1891- 1973)? MISS NO L EVELYN HUGHES 1891 to c 1906 MISS PETER HUGHES 1906- 1927 MRS CLIFFORD NORTON 1927-1946 LADY NORTON 1946-1973 1906 1906 1927 1927 1946 1946 1973
VAN GOGH, STILL LIFE WITH VAN GOGH, STILL LIFE WITH QUINCES, QUINCES, Galerie Neue Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. This was the first painting that started her passion for modern art. Probably seen on a holiday with Herbert Bayer.
There I saw two pictures both of which gave me a shock of joy and excitement such as I had always associated with running very fast, jumping, singing in the open air, riding - doing those things which I found thrilling and a vent for my young, rather jejune, emotions. From a lecture by Peter Norton, c1950
PARENTS Father an engineer, Sir Walter Hughes, knighted for services in Bombay where a road Hugis Road still named for him A life in brief: NO L HUGHES Mother from an old Scottish family with long military history in India EDUCATION Taught by a governess then day school in Bournemouth and finishing school in Switzerland before Bedford College, London
Becoming Peter possibly named herself after Peter Pan
A LIFE IN BRIEF: PETER HUGHES/ A LIFE IN BRIEF: PETER HUGHES/ MRS CLIFFORD NORTON MRS CLIFFORD NORTON
LONDON GALLERY 1936-8 Peter Norton opened her gallery just weeks after end of International Surrealist Exhibition, at 28, Cork St. with a trenchant name, echoing the distinguished London Library, keeping ownership impersonal Peggy Guggenheim s Guggenheim Jeune opened two years later, next door Not primarily commercial or profit seeking, designed to help emigr s artists, with strong influence from Bauhaus (as was Crawford s) Especially guided by her friends Walter Gropius, and Marcel Breuer and above all Herbert Bayer (met the latter two while skiing at which she was very expert) Gallery graphics by Bayer, Isokon furniture supplied by Breuer who also designed its interior Advised by Roland Penrose who then bought it on her departure for Poland Founded with the same impetus that led to creation of ICA
An evangelical gallery, a lending library of books and drawings, a fundraiser for social causes
A poor set of images of the gallery interior
And a telegram from Marcel Duchamp
Gift from artist to his close friend Peter Norton Herbert Bayer, Mauerbild, 1936
She persuaded the dancer Margaret Morris, against her wishes, to design skiing exercises alongside the ski instructor Hans Falkner who created the resort of Ubergurgl in Austria where Peter Norton went skiing for decades. The book was published with Peter Norton as editor in 1934. Her sporting life .. and ability to nag people into activity. She was looking for a role in life after her marriage and losing a baby.
1939 Clare Hollingsworth, legendary war correspondent, was a close friend and the first person to break news of invasion of Poland - to Clifford Norton. Peter [was] in charge of the evacuation of the embassy from Warsaw and at all onward stopping points. When told she would be the first to leave Krzemieniec, she protested vigorously, stamping around, hitching her eye- shade and exclaiming, 'Why should I go first? I am here because I can do a man's job.' Indeed, I have not often found a man to match Peter's strength and efficiency. She had engineered escapes for many Polish refugees and in the evacuation operation of the British Embassy she ensured that the diplomats reached safety without harm.
1946 Meets John Craxton in Switzerland where he is visiting under patronage of Peter Watson Peter Norton offers him a lift in her plane (a borrowed bomber) to Athens; she has been on a shopping trip to Berne where the Nortons spent the war Tells pilot to swoop down over St Mark s Square en route as Craxton has never seen Venice . [Paul Klee Mit Dem Rad (With The Wheel) owned by Lady Norton]
John Craxton, Pastoral for P.W. (Peter Watson), Tate . Capricious portraits of his friends including of Peter Norton who had the fearlessness of a mountain goat and was capricious in character.
John Craxton, Hotel by the Sea, 1946; Tate Craxton remained a friend as did many other artists, including in Greece. She collected artists more than art Clifford Norton was ambassador to Greece from 1946-1951. Peter Norton planned to build an artists retreat on Poros when her husband died . he outlived her by 18 years Clifford s salary and inheritance of property funded her art collecting and patronage. Her extravagance was a source of conflict in a very happy long marriage She was notorious in Athens for adventures not seemly in an ambassador s wife including nude bathing parties
Peter Norton and the ICA She was a founding member of the ICA from at least 1949 when she was still living in Greece which limited her involvement. Here seen in her embassy office with fox terrier under desk. She and husband made a gift of 20,000 to ICA to facilitate move to The Mall She continued to ask Penrose for advice and prompted the comment from an artist she bought everything, that woman. Co Chair of ICA dinner for Picasso exhibition at Tate in 1960
PATRON, COLLECTOR, GALLERY OWNER, PATRON, COLLECTOR, GALLERY OWNER, ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE; AMBASSADOR S WIFE, ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE; AMBASSADOR S WIFE, SPORTSWOMAN, PHILANTHROPIST, FUNDRAISER SPORTSWOMAN, PHILANTHROPIST, FUNDRAISER Her work for Crawford s: Surrealists, Fernand Leger and Paul Klee, I fell in a big way for this kind of painting. From then on, everything modern had a call on my time, my interest and, within the limits of my earnings, on my purse. By now my early veneer of humility was wearing thin. I was beginning to think I knew. What a nerve! took me a good deal to Paris and here, with a young set who were buying Miro, Picasso, the with her cousin Rita Strettell, after her marriage when she left the advertising agency Her experience at Crawford s was invaluable as owner of the London Gallery which she set up until her return from Athens in 1951 It was also of value to the ICA who recruited her as a founder member but she was not active and the composer dedicated it to her; it was written for the oboist Janet Craxton, sister to John Craxton (see photo) She commissioned from Sir Lennox Berkeley s Oboe Concerto Opus 70 on behalf of ICA IN 1967
A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THE ART WORLD IN 1958, HEREBERT READ, A FOUNDER OF THE ICA, WROTE TO PETER NORTON WITH REGARD TO FUNDRAISING: In the States they have a snobbery of wealth that really does not exist here and I cannot imagine rich English people paying large sums merely to be called vice presidents or other honorific titles. I think our policy in respect of membership should be to get the widest possible number on an egalitarian basis. This was also the principle that led Nancy Balfour at the Contemporary Art Society (co-chair for Picasso dinner) and one that resonated with Peter Norton and so many others, including Dorothy Morland. Where would such women fit in today?
THE (UN)IMPORTANCE OF PETER NORTON SHE IS OFTEN REMEMBERED IN MEMOIRS AS ECCENTRIC AND WILFUL NOT BEHAVING LIKE A DIPLOMAT S WIFE HER VERSION OF THE LONDON GALLERY WAS SHORT-LIVED BECAUSE OF HUSBAND S CAREER; E.L.T. MESENS OVERSHADOWS HER SHE PROPOSED THE 1938 EXHIBITION THAT WAS A RIPOSTE TO THE NAZI ATTACK ON DEGENERATE ART BUT WAS OBLIGED TO RETREAT BECAUSE OF HER HUSBAND S ROLE IN THE FOREIGN OFFICE. THIS REFLECTED BADLY ON HER MUCH OF HER EARLY COLLECTION WAS LOST IN POLAND DURING THE INVASION BY THE NAZIS HER ROLE AT THE LONDON GALLERY WAS FREQUENTLY MISINTERPRETED OR PRESUMED TO BE MANAGERIAL OR FINANCIAL, EVEN AMATEUR AND A PASSING FANCY
THE IMPORTANCE OF PETER NORTON SHE WAS ONE OF A GROUP OF IMPORTANT WOMEN IN THE BRITISH ART WORLD WHOSE ROLES, OFTEN BEHIND THE SCENES AS PRODUCERS RATHER THAN DIRECTORS, IS FORGOTTEN OR MIS-DESCRIBED IF SUCH WOMEN WERE CONFRONTATIONAL, THEN THEY WERE OFTEN DISMISSED AS ECCENTRIC OR WORSE. IF MODEST, THEN THEY WERE OVERLOOKED PETER NORTON CREATED A SEMINAL GALLERY, SUPPORTED ARTISTS, WORKED HARD FOR THE ICA, BUT ALL THIS BECAME SECONDARY TO HER WORK IN HELPING REFUGEES, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN A PATRON OF INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS: BAUHAUS GROUP, MUNCH GABO, KLEE, KANDINSKY, LEGER, MAGRITTE, ERNST, AND MOORE ALL SHOWN AT HER GALLERY [Joan Miro, Group of People, 1938; owned by Peter Norton]
