Christmas Exhibition at the Berkeley Galleries, Thursday 9th December [1954]
Identifier
800.0035
Title
Christmas Exhibition at the Berkeley Galleries, Thursday 9th December [1954]
Date
9 December [1954]
Creator
William Ohly (1883-1955);
Berkeley Galleries
Berkeley Galleries
Type
text
Format
exhibition invitation card
Publisher
London: Berkeley Galleries
Source
Berkeley Galleries scrapbook, private collection, UK
Description
Exhibition invitation card, printed in black on white and red background. Four groups of works are listed on the right hand side: 'Pictures by Henry Moore, Ceri Richards, Lilian Colbourn and others' / 'Small Sculptures by P. King, R. Jones, G. Kruger and others' / 'Small Chinese Paintings / Objects from India and The Far East' / 'Native Jewellery and Sculptures by Primitive People'.
Subject
Berkeley Galleries. Art galleries, Commercial -- England -- London -- Exhibitions. Art galleries, Commercial -- England -- London -- History.
Krüger, Gudrun Juliane, 1922-2004.
Krüger, Gudrun Juliane, 1922-2004.
Rights
This Work has been digitized in a public-private partnership. As part of this partnership, the partners have agreed to limit commercial uses of this digital representation of the Work by third parties. You can, without permission, copy, modify, distribute, display, or perform the Item, for non-commercial uses. For any other permissible uses, please review the terms and conditions of the organization that has made the Item available., display, or perform the Item, for non-commercial uses. For any other permissible uses, please review the terms and conditions of the organization that has made the Item available.
Language
English
Contributor
Sheridan Palmer and Jane Eckett
Where created
The Berkeley Galleries, 20 Davies Street, London W1, England
Notes
Several of the artists were Abbey Art Centre residents including sculptors Peter King and Gudrun Krüger and painter Lilian Colbourn.
Dated 1954 on the basis of the opening date being given as Thursday 9th December (the 9th December in 1954 falling on a Thursday), as well as the correlation with a press photograph of the German sculptor Gudrun Krüger examing one of her small sculptures and captioned: 'Dec. 09, 1954 - German-Born Woman Artist Hold Exhibition At Berkeley Galleries. 33-year-old German-born woman artist, Gudrun Kruger, held an exhibition of her work at the Berkeley Galleries, Dover-Street [sic], today. Her graphic art is anew and intensely personal expression inspired by the growth forms of plants and sea creatures. Photo Shows:- Gudrun Kruger seen with some of her exhibits of horses in bronze at the exhibition today.' (Keystone Pictures USA/ZUMAPRESS).
Another copy of this invitation is housed in the Peter King archive at London Metropolitan University, whose online record shows the reverse side of the invitation. The reverse illustrates John Prince's self portrait and two works in wood and metal by Peter King. The self-portrait seems to be the work of John Prince (1933–2008), an American artist who as a teenager studied at the Boston Museum School, where Oskar Kokoschka gave guest lectures. Kokoschka reputedly encouraged Prince to further his studies in London, where Prince accordingly went in 1951. Later that same year he was sent to Korea with the US Air Force and suffered a hand injury. He returned to Europe and spent 20 years, meeting his wife Ursula in Heidelberg, Germany, before returning to the US in 1974 and settling at Dauphin Island, Alabama.
Dated 1954 on the basis of the opening date being given as Thursday 9th December (the 9th December in 1954 falling on a Thursday), as well as the correlation with a press photograph of the German sculptor Gudrun Krüger examing one of her small sculptures and captioned: 'Dec. 09, 1954 - German-Born Woman Artist Hold Exhibition At Berkeley Galleries. 33-year-old German-born woman artist, Gudrun Kruger, held an exhibition of her work at the Berkeley Galleries, Dover-Street [sic], today. Her graphic art is anew and intensely personal expression inspired by the growth forms of plants and sea creatures. Photo Shows:- Gudrun Kruger seen with some of her exhibits of horses in bronze at the exhibition today.' (Keystone Pictures USA/ZUMAPRESS).
Another copy of this invitation is housed in the Peter King archive at London Metropolitan University, whose online record shows the reverse side of the invitation. The reverse illustrates John Prince's self portrait and two works in wood and metal by Peter King. The self-portrait seems to be the work of John Prince (1933–2008), an American artist who as a teenager studied at the Boston Museum School, where Oskar Kokoschka gave guest lectures. Kokoschka reputedly encouraged Prince to further his studies in London, where Prince accordingly went in 1951. Later that same year he was sent to Korea with the US Air Force and suffered a hand injury. He returned to Europe and spent 20 years, meeting his wife Ursula in Heidelberg, Germany, before returning to the US in 1974 and settling at Dauphin Island, Alabama.
Provenance
Ernest Ohly (1920-2008);
Gift from his Estate to the present owner
Gift from his Estate to the present owner
Photograph (i)
Sheridan Palmer
Photograph (ii)
10 December 2025
Date submitted
19 October 2021
Date modified
14 March 2026
Citation
William Ohly (1883-1955);
Berkeley Galleries, “Christmas Exhibition at the Berkeley Galleries, Thursday 9th December [1954],” The Abbey Art Centre Digital Repository, accessed March 27, 2026, https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/abbey-art-centre/items/show/1079.