Painter and Model
John Minton was a celebrated figure in 1940s Bohemian London. His main artistic theme, partly homo-erotic, was the young male figure in emotionally charged settings. In this painting, Minton alters the traditional dynamic between the dominant artist and their passive model. The young model is the centre of attention, while Minton shows himself to be a slight and withdrawn figure. The model was his friend, the actor Norman Bowler, best known for his role as Frank Tate in the TV series ‘Emmerdale’.
Minton was a member of the London Group, formed to offer additional exhibiting opportunities besides the Royal Academy. From his early Neo-Romantic wartime landscapes to his sun-drenched depictions of the Mediterranean and Caribbean; sensitive portraits and figure studies of young men, reflecting Minton’s experience as a leading gay artist of the time; striking illustrations for posters and books including Elizabeth David’s Mediterranean cookery titles; and ambitious paintings exploring historic and current events, Minton grappled with an increasingly abstract art world during his career.
Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, Minton registered as a conscientious objector, but in 1941 changed his views and joined the Pioneer Corps, though he was later discharged on medical grounds. Minton was himself gay, at a time when homosexuality was illegal, and was often attracted to unavailable men. Outwardly a charming and charismatic figure, he struggled with self-doubt and self-destruction and aged thirty-nine took his own life.
