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Austin Osman Spare

The Life and Legend of London's Lost Artist

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Austin Osman Spare

By: Phil Baker, Alan Moore - foreword
Narrated by: Mike Cooper
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London has harbored many curious characters, but few more curious than the artist and visionary Austin Osman Spare (1886-1956).

A controversial enfant terrible of the Edwardian art world, the young Spare was hailed as a genius and a new Aubrey Beardsley, while George Bernard Shaw reportedly said "Spare's medicine is too strong for the average man."

But Spare was never made for worldly success and he went underground, falling out of the gallery system to live in poverty and obscurity south of the river. Absorbed in occultism and sorcery, voyaging into inner dimensions, and surrounding himself with cats and familiar spirits, he continued to produce extraordinary art while developing a magical philosophy of pleasure, obsession, and the subjective nature of reality.

Today Spare is both forgotten and famous, a cult figure whose modest life has been much mythologized since his death. This groundbreaking biographical study offers wide-ranging insights into Spare's art, mind, and world, reconnecting him with the art history that ignored him and exploring his parallel London; a bygone place of pub pianists, wealthy alchemists, and monstrous owls.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2011 Phil Baker; Foreword copyright 2011 by Alan Moore (P)2023 Tantor Art Art & Literature Artists, Architects & Photographers Magic Cats
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I was inspired to listen to this having enjoyed the first two books in Alan Moore's Long London series (The Great When: A Long London Novel and I Hear a New World). I had never heard of him before encountering him in these novels though I am not sure how I managed this. Anyway, better late than never eh?

I am pleased to report that Austin Osman Spare: The Life and Legend of London's Lost Artist is a great listen and well narrated. It traces Spare's life from an acclaimed teenage prodigy dubbed the "new Aubrey Beardsley" to an obscure, poverty-stricken visionary living south of the Thames surrounded by cats and spirits, via all manner of curious diversions and global historical events.

Phil Baker brings the London of his world to life. This is no hagiography though, whilst Spare generally receives a sympathetic account this account simultaneously remains sceptical about some of Spare's more outré claims.

Some of it washed over my head, for example Spare's invented religion and magical systems (the Zos Kia Cultus), but that could well be a feature of their nature.

Where this biography scores highly is as a social and personal history and overall it's an absolute joy. A fascinating portrait of a very gifted and unusual, idiosyncratic person who lived life on his own terms.

Fascinating character and great social history. Well narrated

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Deeply entertaining and fascinating biography of an underrated genius, the father of British Surrealism. Well written and researched.

A comprehensive and well researched and accessible guide to AOS

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A well written book, nicely narrated, about a colourful and interesting artist. Couldn't get the extras to work, though, so couldn't see his artwork.

Great book on Spare

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