Was Spencer a quaint village innocent or one of the great British artists of the 20th century?
I shall implement a combination of methodology (following his life and art in episodic order), case studies (a selection of his work throughout his career), socio-historical investigation of his life (comparing Spencer to his peers) and draw conclusions based on my findings. Introduction Stanley Spencer was born in the village of Cookham, Berkshire on 30 June 1891. His father William was an organist and music teacher. At an early age he developed an interest in art and was enrolled at the Maidenhead Technical Institute before attending Slade School (part of University College London) in 1908. Four years later he exhibited his first painting John Donne Arriving in Heaven. The life that followed involved Spencer participating in the First World War, getting married twice (once to a lesbian), getting divorced, fathering two daughters, becoming an associate of the Royal Academy, being awarded the CBE and then receiving his knighthood. Throughout his life there remained two constants; his l
