Julian Trevelyn

1910-1988

Julian Trevelyn was a painter, printmaker, teacher and writer, born in Dorking, Surrey. He  was the only son of the poet and scholar R C Trevelyan and the grandson of Sir Otto Trevelyan, politician and writer.

The young artist began his education at Bedales School, later attending Trinity College, Cambridge. It was whilst at Cambridge that he became a member of the Experiments group and became interested in French painting, especially surrealism. For several years in the early 1930's  he studied with S W Hayter at Atelier 17 in Paris.

His early work was experimental, his paintings incorporating everyday objects. At University he had written that "to dream is to create" and so it was logical that he became one of the English Surrealist Group in 1936. During service as a camouflage officer in the Royal Engineers during World War II he declared his religion to be Surrealism.

After the failure of his first marriage, Trevelyan married fellow artist Mary Fedden. Together they painted a series of murals for the Festival of Britain. The couple travelled widely, making sketches en route which were later worked  into paintings in their studio.

Trevelyan taught art at Chelsea School or Art and later became Head of the Etching Department at the Royal College of Art. He was eventually made fellow of the College. David Hockney was among his inspired pupils. In 1987 Julian Trevelyan was appointed Academician of the Royal Academy of Arts. He died the following year.