The Foreign Invention of British Art
A timely history of immigration, integration and national identity that reveals the true heritage behind some of the nation’s defining artworks.
To truly understand British art is to recognize the pivotal contributions of the many foreign artists who have called Britain home. Traditional narratives have long obscured foreign influence, but this radical study challenges the notion of an exceptional or exclusive British culture, and in so doing rewrites the history of Renaissance and Enlightenment-era art.
Broadcaster and lecturer Leslie Primo expertly places art history in the wider political contexts of xenophobia and influence, addressing both foreign artists working in Britain and British-born artists affected by foreign cultures. From Hans Holbein to Artemisia Gentileschi, from William Hogarth to Angelica Kauffman, familiar masters and lesser-known creators are situated within the multiculturalism inherent to, yet commonly dismissed by, the art world at this time.
Weaving together artists’ experiences of both acclaim and adversity, The Foreign Invention of British Art not only demonstrates how immigration and diversification are so often the driving force behind creative innovation, but also reveals the true heritage behind some of the nation’s defining artworks.
Depicting the Magi: origins, gifts and representing men of colour
This essay will attempt to unravel the myth and the iconography behind the proliferation of the story of the adoration of the magi from its Eastern and pagan roots to its current Christian interpretation.
Read the full essay here, it is also published on the Art UK website here.
DK Life Stories Leonardo da Vinci
Leslie was a consultant on this book.
About DK Life Stories Leonardo da Vinci
Discover the inspiring story of Leonardo da Vinci, the artist, inventor, and engineer of the Italian Renaissance…
Leonardo was a creative genius who wanted to understand how things worked. This book traces his life, from his birth in a hilltop village near Florence, Italy, through to his work as a painter, sculptor, and engineer. Leonardo made hundreds of drawings and paintings, including the Mona Lisa – probably the most famous painting in the world. Learn how Leonardo made detailed sketches of the human body and designs of parachutes, helicopters, and armoured tanks – many years before the technology existed to build them.
This new kids’ biography series from DK goes beyond the basic facts to tell the true life stories of history’s most interesting and inspiring people. Full-colour photographs and hand-drawn illustrations complement age-appropriate narrative text to create an engaging book children will enjoy reading. Definition boxes, information sidebars, inspiring quotes, and other nonfiction text features add depth, and a handy reference section at the back makes DK Life Stories the one biography series everyone will want to collect.
Companion Guide to Black British History
This publication by Oxford University Press, entitled the Companion Guide to Black British History, is the first such publication by Oxford or anybody else on this subject and was released to coincide with the 200 anniversary of the abolition of slavery in England (1807-2007). It is a book that charts the 2000 year history of black people in England and their invaluable and hitherto unacknowledged contribution, not only to Britain’s rich and varied culture, but also to the literary, artistic and intellectual life of the British Isles. In the spirit of this momentous event Leslie Primo, amongst many other writers, was asked to contribute to this landmark publication.