Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA (b. 1951)
Christopher Le Brun is one of the leading British painters of his generation, celebrated internationally since the 1980s, making both figurative and abstract work in media including painting, sculpture, watercolour and print. His works are notable for their layered, complex, scintillating surfaces, which he describes as ‘non-ironic, primary’ responses to the act of painting. Le Brun employs a mastery of touch and colour alongside a profound understanding of art history and a wide range of visual, musical and literary sources to engage with the major existential, aesthetic and formal questions of painting. The idea is to make a painting less fenced or surrounded, but one which feels for its boundaries organically, playing out its appearance in front of you.
Born in Portsmouth in 1951, Christopher Le Brun trained at the Slade and Chelsea Schools of Art, London. In his early career, he was a double prizewinner at the John Moores exhibitions (1978, 1980), also showing in the Venice Biennale (1980) and the ground-breaking exhibition ‘Zeitgeist’ (1982) at the Martin-Gropius Bau, Berlin. His recent major exhibitions include ‘A Sense of Sight, Abstract Work 1974-2020’, Red Brick Art Museum, Beijing (2021); ‘Transcendence and Rén Jīan, Su Xinping and Christopher Le Brun’, MOCAUP, Shenzhen (2021); ‘Figure and Play’, albertz benda, New York; ‘Diptychs’, Lisson Gallery, Shanghai (2019); ‘New Painting’, Lisson Gallery, London (2018); ‘Composer’, albertz benda, New York (2017); ‘New Paintings’, Friedman Benda, New York (2014).
Between 1990 and 2003 he served as a trustee of the Tate and subsequently of the National Gallery, a period which saw his involvement in the radical developments of Tate at Bankside, Liverpool and St. Ives as well as the masterplan and re-development of the east wing of the National Gallery. He was also a trustee of the Dulwich Picture Gallery and the Royal (formerly Prince’s) Drawing School, which he helped to establish in 2000. In the same year he was elected Professor of Drawing at the Royal Academy.
He was elected President of the Royal Academy in December 2011. He was the 26th President since Sir Joshua Reynolds and the youngest to be elected since Lord Leighton in 1878. He stepped down from being President on 10th December 2019.
He was awarded a Knighthood (Knight Bachelor) for services to the Arts in the 2021 New Year Honours.
Profile
Engraver
Born: 1951 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom
Nationality: British
Elected RA: 12 December 1996
President from: 2011 - 2019
Honorary officer: Eranda Professor of Drawing 2000 - 2002
Gender: Male
Preferred media: Painting, Sculpture, and Printmaking
Works by Sir Christopher Le Brun in the RA Collection
62 results
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, Siegfried and Fafner, LXIII]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Siegfried and Fafner, LXIII
Photogravure with etching, aquatint, burnishing and scraping
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, Brünnhilde, LXV]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Brünnhilde, LXV
Photogravure with etching, aquatint, burnishing and scraping
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, Fafner, LXII]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Fafner, LXII
Photogravure with etching, aquatint, burnishing and scraping
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, Brünnhilde III, LXVII]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Brünnhilde III, LXVII
Photogravure with etching, aquatint, burnishing and scraping
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, Brünnhilde II, LXVI]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Brünnhilde II, LXVI
Photogravure, etching, aquatint, burnishing and scraping
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, The Rainbow Bridge, LX]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
The Rainbow Bridge, LX
Photogravure with etching, aquatint, burnishing and scraping
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, The Valkyrie, LXIV]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
The Valkyrie, LXIV
Photogravure with etching, aquatint, burnishing and scraping
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, Siegfried, LXI]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Siegfried, LXI
Photogravure with etching, aquatint, burnishing and scraping
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 1]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 1, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 50]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 50, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 49]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 49, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 48]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 48, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 47]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 47, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 46]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 46, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 45]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 45, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 44]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 44, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 43]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 43, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 42]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 42, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 41]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 41, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 40]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 40, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 39]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 39, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 38]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 38, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 37]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 37, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 36]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 36, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 35]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 35, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 34]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 34, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 33]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 33, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 32]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 32, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 31]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 31, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 30]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 30, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 29]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 29, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 28]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 28, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 27]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 27, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 26]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 26, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 25]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 25, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 24]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 24, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 23]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 23, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 22]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 22, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 21]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 21, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 20]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 20, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 19]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 19, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 18]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 18, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 17]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 17, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 16]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 16, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 15]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 15, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 14]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 14, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 13]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 13, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 12]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 12, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 11]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 11, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 10]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 10, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 9]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 9, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 8]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 8, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 7]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 7, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 6]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 6, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 5]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 5, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 4]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 4, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 3]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 3, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, No. 2]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
No. 2, 2004-2005
Etching
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, Life drawing of a female figure viewed from the side]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Life drawing of a female figure viewed from the side
Pencil on wove paper
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, Life drawing of a female nude viewed from the back]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Life drawing of a female nude viewed from the back
Pencil on paper
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, Sketch of a girl resting her chin on her hands]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Sketch of a girl resting her chin on her hands
Pencil on wove paper
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![Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA, Life drawing of a reclining female figure]()
Sir Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Life drawing of a reclining female figure
Charcoal on wove paper
Works associated with Sir Christopher Le Brun in the RA Collection
3 results
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Gallery
![Christopher Le Brun PRA, Neither White, nor Warm, nor Cold]()
Christopher Le Brun PRA, Neither White, nor Warm, nor Cold, 2013.
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![Giampietrino and Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio, Copy of Leonardo's The Last Supper]()
The Great Tradition
RA Collection Gallery
From 19 May
Does great art begin with studying nature, or studying the great art of the past? Decide for yourself in this new gallery curated by Christopher le Brun PPRA, bringing together highlights from the RA Collection.
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Selected CV
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Recent solo exhibitions
2017 Now Turn the Page, Arndt, Berlin
Composer, Albertz Benda, New York
Composer, The Gallery at Windsor, Vero Beach Florida
2016 New Paintings, Arndt, Singapore
2015 Colour, Colnaghi, London
2014 Friedman Benda, New York
2011 Canary Wharf, London
2010 New Art Centre, Roche Court, Salisbury
2008 New Art Gallery, Walsall
2008 Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge -
Selected collections
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Arts Council of Great Britain
Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo
The British Council, London
British Museum, London
Contemporary Art Society, London
Courtauld Gallery, London
Department of the Environment, London
Hamilton Art Gallery, Ontario, Canada
High Museum, Atlanta, USA
Liverpool Cathedral
Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA
National Portrait Gallery, London
Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, USA
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh
Tate Gallery, London
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester
Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, USA -
Selected publications
2017 Composer, Christopher Le Brun, Windsor Press
2015 Colour, Christopher Le Brun, Colnaghi
2014 New Paintings, Christopher Le Brun, Ridinghouse
2012 Poems Paintings, Editions Moon Rainbow
2008 Christopher Le Brun, Stephen Snoddy & J.J. Charlesworth, The New Gallery Walsall
2001 Christopher Le Brun, Booth-Clibborn Editions
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Behind the scenes: a new home for the RA Collections
While it’s business as usual in the galleries, elsewhere at the RA major building work is transforming the Academy for 2018. Exhibition designer Adrien Gardère and RA President Christopher Le Brun explore how the plans will reveal the historic RA Collections to the public.
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