Biographies

William Patrick Roberts (1895 – 1980) From The William Roberts Society’s Home Page ‘ William Roberts RA (1895–1980) was one of the most distinctive and respected artists of the twentieth century. He was a founder member of the influential Vorticist group, a powerful recorder of the front-line battles of the First World War, and a unique observer of the foibles and activities of Britain at leisure over almost fifty years. The Roberts family fulfilled an important role in the rich literary and artistic life of the twentieth century. Their world encompassed almost all the major movements and personalities of the first half of the century, and that period would have been poorer without their presence.’ Anne Goodchild, Curator of Art, Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust He studied art at the St. Martin’s School of Art and at the Slade School (1910-1913). He travelled in France and was influenced by Picasso. He joined the Vorticists in 1914 and the London Group in 1915. He was an official war artist in 1917-1918.