Edward Burra

1905–1976

Edward Burra, ‘The Snack Bar’ 1930
The Snack Bar 1930
© The estate of Edward Burra, courtesy Lefevre Fine Art, London
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In Tate Britain

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In Tate Britain

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Biography

Edward John Burra (29 March 1905 – 22 October 1976) was an English painter, draughtsman, and printmaker, best known for his depictions of the urban underworld, black culture and the Harlem scene of the 1930s.

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Bloomsbury British Surrealism British War Art 3 more art terms …

Artworks

Edward Burra, ‘The Snack Bar’ 1930

Edward Burra The Snack Bar

1930
T03051
Edward Burra, ‘Harlem’ 1934

Edward Burra Harlem

1934
N05004
Edward Burra, ‘Dancing Skeletons’ 1934

Edward Burra Dancing Skeletons

1934
N05005
Edward Burra, ‘Soldiers at Rye’ 1941

Edward Burra Soldiers at Rye

1941
N05377
Edward Burra, ‘Skeleton Party’ c.1952–4

Edward Burra Skeleton Party

c.1952–4
T00013
Edward Burra, ‘Keep your Head’ 1930

Edward Burra Keep your Head

1930
T01471
Edward Burra, ‘Mexican Church’ c.1938

Edward Burra Mexican Church

c.1938
N05167
Edward Burra, ‘Valley and River, Northumberland’ 1972

Edward Burra Valley and River, Northumberland

1972
T01756
See all 18

Film and audio

The Life and Times of Edward Burra

Edward Burra's paintings of Harlem in the 1930s captured a moment in history epitomised by Jazz and street life ...

Features

Paul Nash, ‘Equivalents for the Megaliths’ 1935
Art Term

Unit One

British group formed by Paul Nash in 1933 to promote modern art, architecture and design

Edward Burra, ‘The Snack Bar’ 1930
Tate Etc

Edward Burra's The Snack Bar 1930: MicroTate 1

Elisabeth Robinson

In celebration of the launch of Art Everywhere, we revisit author Elisabeth Robinson's re-imagined story behind Edward Burra's ...

Edward Burra, ‘Harlem’ 1934
Tate Papers

‘New Ways of Modern Bohemia’: Edward Burra in London, Paris, Marseilles and Harlem

Andrew Stephenson

Rothenstein Lecture
Edward Burra, ‘Dancing Skeletons’ 1934
Blog

Work of the week: Edward Burra Dancing Skeletons

Naomi Richmond-Swift

In a dark, dark town there was a dark, dark street
and in the dark, dark street there was a ...

Hamish Fulton, ‘France on the Horizon’ 1975
Tate Etc

MicroTate 24

Sarah Martin , Simon Martin , Brian Muelaner and Steven Claydon

Microtate: Sarah Martin, Simon Martin, Brian Muelaner and Steven Claydon reflect on a work in the Tate Collection
Wyndham Lewis, ‘Red Scene’ 1933–6
Tate Papers

Wild Geese Over the Mountains: Melodrama and the Sublime in the English Imaginary 1933–9

Ian Patterson

The Sublime Object
Edward Burra, ‘Harlem’ 1934
Tate Etc

A Rye view: Edward Burra

Desmond Corcoran

He had six paintings in London’s International Surrealist Exhibition in 1936, but was never formally a surrealist. His work ...

John Crome, ‘Moonrise on the Yare (?)’ c.1811–6
Tate Etc

Mind fields: The changing landscape of Britain

Jonathon Porritt , Wim Wenders , Siobhan Davies , The Reverend Alan Walker , Richard A. Fortey , José Loosemore , Mark Avery , Michael Palin , Thomas Joshua Cooper , Rick Stein and David Matthews

Tate Etc. introduces eleven personal responses to artworks that reflect the changing face of a nation.

Tate Etc

Into the groove: Behind the curtain

Paul Farley

In his second visit to the Tate archive, Paul Farley discovers the delights of old vinyl

Sketches, letters, etc.

Paul Nash, recipient: Edward Burra, ‘‘Letter for Ed’ from Paul Nash, with attached images’ [c.December 1943]

Paul Nash, recipient: Edward Burra ‘Letter for Ed’ from Paul Nash, with attached images

[c.December 1943]
View by appointment TGA 771/5/3
Paul Nash, Margaret Nash, recipient: Edward Burra, ‘Card titled ‘Images at Springfield: Souvenir from Paul and Margaret Nash’’ December 1937

Paul Nash, Margaret Nash, recipient: Edward Burra Card titled ‘Images at Springfield: Souvenir from Paul and Margaret Nash’

December 1937
View by appointment TGA 771/5/1

Unknown person(s), Paul Nash, recipient: Edward Burra Collage of newspaper cuttings showing two figures embracing

date not known
View by appointment TGA 771/5/4

Related art terms

Bloomsbury British Surrealism British War Art Neo-romanticism Surrealism Unit One

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