From 28 April, the first major retrospective of Walter Sickert (1860 - 1942) will be on show at Tate Britain for 60 years. The German-Brit is regarded as a transitional figure between Impressionism and Modernism and had a considerable influence on modern British art. He himself is one of the most important artists of the 20th century - with his contacts to contemporaries such as James McNeill Whistler or Edgar Degas, he also strengthened artistic ties between Great Britain and France and influenced contemporary painting.
The retrospective shows Sickert's radical, distinctive approach to setting and subject: sometimes he worked from detailed sketches, sometimes he drew inspiration from news photography. As a former actor, he harboured a fascination for all things theatrical - from scenes in music halls to nude portraits in intimate settings. He also enjoyed creating narratives with the emerging celebrity culture. Sickert's self-portraits, on the other hand, show him throughout his career: from his beginnings as an actor to his artistic training to becoming one of the most influential artists of his time. The retrospective attempts to outline all facets of Sickert. The exhibition will be on view until 18 September.
