Martin Bradley b.1931
A Butterfly Playing Amongst the Reeds, 1958
oil on canvas
77¼ by 17¼ inches
signed, also signed, dated '58 and titled verso

Provenance
Private Collection, UK



Painter, draughtsman, muralist and sculptor. Born in London, Bradley was an illegitimate orphan initially living in deprived circumstances, but eventually enabled through a wealthy relation to attend St Paul's School. Ran away to sea at 14 and for several years served as a cabin boy on the Central and South American run, during which time he began serious painting, mostly academic portraits of shipmates. He was a dishwasher and waiter in London restaurants and became well known to artistic circles as The Rimbaud of Soho because of his drinking, drug-taking and promiscous life. A number of prestigious galleries such as Gallery One, Gimpel Fils and the Redfern Gallery all began to show his work. He then went to Paris where he was taken up by Rudolphe Augustinci, director of the Rive Gauche Gallery, showing artists such as Max Ernst, Yves Tanguy and Rene Magritte. Notable British collectors such as Sir Roland Penrose, Sir Herbert Read and Dame Barbara Hepworth acquired Bradley's work. In 1962 Bradley decided to rethink his career, left Paris and travelled for many years in the Far East. Served for a period of his life in the Spanish Foreign Legion, seeing action. Became converted to Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism 'which changed the whole foundation of my thinking'. Bradley's work, largely abstract, is difficult to pigeonhole, having strong calligraphic, symbolic influences. It is in many international collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York and Tate, Britain.