Letters, drawings and a sketchbook from John Banting to Humphrey Spender

This collection consists of material sent from John Banting to the photographer and Mass Observation researcher, Humphrey Spender. The correspondence in this collection spans the period from the early 1930s to circa. 1970. Many of these letters are illustrated and decorated by John Banting. Meanwhile the sketchbook appears to cover a period before John Banting's solo exhibition at the Storran Gallery in 1938 and includes drawings of unidentified individuals who may have been friends of Banting at this time, as well as numerous sketches of natural and abstract or surreal forms. Items of correspondence, also contained within this collection, suggest that Spender may have taken this sketchbook to work on when staying in the Spender's cottage in Sussex.

Collection Owner

John Humphrey Spender 1910–2005

Collection

Tate Archive

Acquisition

This collection was presented to the Tate Archive by Humphrey Spender in 1997.

Reference

TGA 9717