The Anglo-French Art Centre (or Anglo-French Art School, previously the

St John's Wood Art School The St John's Wood Art School ( The Wood or Calderon's Art School) was an art school in St John's Wood, north London, England. The Art School was established in 1878 and was located on Elm Tree Road. It was founded by two art teachers, Elíseo Ab ...

, was an

art school An art school is an educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, including fine art – especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. Art schools can offer elementary, secondary, post-second ...

at 29 Elm Tree Road in

St John's Wood St John's Wood is a district in the City of Westminster, London, lying 2.5 miles (4 km) northwest of Charing Cross. Traditionally the northern part of the ancient parish and Metropolitan Borough of Marylebone, it extends east to west from ...

, north

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, England. The centre was founded in 1946 by Alfred Rozelaar Green, who studied in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

at the Académie Julian and Atelier Gromaire before the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. He moved to London at the end of the war and aimed to revolutionise British

art education Visual arts education is the area of learning that is based upon the kind of art that one can see, visual arts The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, de ...

. He invited artists from

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

and other countries to exhibit and teach. Artists included Robert Couturier, Fernand Léger, André Lhote,

Jean Lurçat Jean Lurçat (; 1 July 1892 – 6 January 1966) was a French artist noted for his role in the revival of contemporary tapestry. Biography He was born in Bruyères, Vosges, the son of Lucien Jean Baptiste Lurçat and Marie Emilie Marguerite L' ...

, Agnès Capri and Germaine Richier. He was also supported by English artists who visited to give lectures, including

Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...

, Henry Moore,

Victor Pasmore Edwin John Victor Pasmore, CH, CBE (3 December 190823 January 1998) was a British artist. He pioneered the development of abstract art in Britain in the 1940s and 1950s. Early life Pasmore was born in Chelsham, Surrey, on 3 December 1908. He ...

and

Julian Trevelyan Julian Otto Trevelyan (20 February 1910 – 12 July 1988) was an English artist and poet. Early life Trevelyan was the only child to survive to adulthood of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and his wife Elizabeth van der Hoeven. His grandfather wa ...

. Other lecturers included art critics and

museum director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

s. Students included

Dora Holzhandler Dora Holzhandler (22 March 1928 – 8 October 2015) was a French-born British painter based in London. Biography Dora Holzhandler was born to Jewish-Polish parents (Sehia Holzhandler, handbag maker and Ruchla Rocheman a singer and seamstress) i ...

Anne Dunn Anne Dunn (born 4 September, 1929) is an English artist associated with the second generation of the School of London. Background and education Born in London, England, Dunn is the daughter of the Canadian steel magnate Sir James Dunn, 1st ba ...

Breon O'Casey Breon O'Casey (30 April 1928 – 22 May 2011) was an artist associated with the St Ives School. Biography O'Casey was born in London to actress Eileen, née Reynolds, and playwright Seán O'Casey. He was educated at Dartington Hall School in ...

. Forty-Eight Theatre, a company formed and supported by Velona Pilcher and directed by David Tutaev, rehearsed and performed at the centre in the late 1940s. The centre closed in 1951.

References

1946 establishments in England Educational institutions established in 1946 1951 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Educational institutions disestablished in 1951 Art schools in London Education in the City of Westminster History of the City of Westminster Defunct art schools St John's Wood {{London-stub