About

This online catalogue is the first attempt to bring together all known oil paintings by Gilbert Spencer, as well as a large selection of his works on paper. It has been created in conjunction with the acquisition of the Gilbert Spencer archive by Arts University Bournemouth, and the subsequent publication of the first monograph on Gilbert Spencer by Professor Paul Gough (with contributions by Sacha Llewellyn and Amanda Bradley Petitgas), Gilbert Spencer: The Life and Work of a Very English Artist (Yale University Press, 2024). The project has been directed by Professor Paul Gough, with content by Dr Amy Lim and website design and build by Rich Tarr. It has been generously funded by a grant from the Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee at Arts University Bournemouth.

The authors are very grateful to the Estate of Gilbert Spencer for their support for this project. We would also like to thank the many curators, dealers and private collectors who have contributed their knowledge, expertise and images. Particular thanks are due to Gilbert Spencer’s extended family for their enthusiastic support, and for kindly suppling information and images.

Inclusion in this catalogue does not constitute a firm attribution to Gilbert Spencer. Spencer’s style was highly varied, and in the majority of cases, the authors have not inspected the works in person, although a handful of attributed works have been omitted due to stylistic incongruity.

The images in this catalogue have been included by kind permission of the Estate of Gilbert Spencer, which retains full copyright. Copyright for all works of art by Gilbert Spencer is managed by the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) in the UK. If you wish to licence a work of art by Gilbert Spencer, please contact DACS at info@dacs.org.uk or visit dacs.org.uk.

This online catalogue is a work in progress and will continue to be updated as new information comes to light. The authors would be very pleased to receive new information about Gilbert Spencer artworks, including images, location, provenance, exhibition history, literature or any other information. You can get in touch with us using the contact form below.