Carel Weight
Encyclopedia
Carel Victor Morlais Weight (10 September 1908 – 13 August 1997) was an English painter
.
Weight was born in Paddington
in 1908. He studied at the Hammersmith School of Art
and Goldsmiths College. His first solo exhibition was held in the Cooling Gallery in 1933 and later exhibited in some major London
galleries and throughout the UK
.
During the Second World War, Weight served with the Royal Engineers
and Army Education Corps. As an Official War Artist in 1945, he worked in Austria
, Greece
, and Italy
.
In 1947, he began teaching at the Royal College of Art
, and was professor of painting there from 1967. He retired in 1973.
He was appointed a CBE
in 1962 and awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Edinburgh University in 1982. Some of his work is owned by the Tate Gallery
and the Victoria and Albert Museum
.
Many of his paintings showed suburban settings in which unexpected human dramas occurred. His work was sometimes humorous and sometimes angry. Each painting's location was chosen specifically for its abstract structure and this made his work very interesting.
Weight died on 13 August 1997 at the age of 88.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
.
Weight was born in Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
in 1908. He studied at the Hammersmith School of Art
Chelsea College of Art and Design
Chelsea College of Art and Design, the erstwhile Chelsea School of Art, is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, and is a leading British art and design institution with an international reputation...
and Goldsmiths College. His first solo exhibition was held in the Cooling Gallery in 1933 and later exhibited in some major London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
galleries and throughout the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
During the Second World War, Weight served with the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
and Army Education Corps. As an Official War Artist in 1945, he worked in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
In 1947, he began teaching at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
, and was professor of painting there from 1967. He retired in 1973.
He was appointed a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1962 and awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Edinburgh University in 1982. Some of his work is owned by the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
and the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
.
Many of his paintings showed suburban settings in which unexpected human dramas occurred. His work was sometimes humorous and sometimes angry. Each painting's location was chosen specifically for its abstract structure and this made his work very interesting.
Weight died on 13 August 1997 at the age of 88.