John McEwen
Portraits of Society
This is a labour of love and quite a labour to read. Bruce Arnold’s job is not easy. The book is dedicated to the artist’s ‘family and friends who “saw him through”’. As a friend answering the need of friends, Arnold must defend, celebrate and, if possible, not offend, in what is essentially a private offering. I find myself in much the same delicate position. Patrick Trevor-Roper said that Derek referred to almost everyone he knew as one of his ‘best and oldest friends’. That is why he will be called ‘Derek’ here.
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