| Admin/Biog History | Arthur Clive Heward Bell (1881-1964) was an English art critic, associated with formalism. He was a member of the Bloomsbury Group and therefore a long-standing friend of the Sackville-West/Nicolson family. Bell visited the family home in Sissinghurst regularly and - due to a mutual interest in art-history - was particularly influential in Nicolson's life. The two met regularly, primarily in a social context, and often discussed art-historical matters of interest. Bell features regularly throughout Nicolson's diaries. |
| Description | Includes correspondence concerning invitations and arrangements to participate in various professional (ie. art-history related) and social events.
Of particular note are:
-two letters, dated January/February & March 1935, concerning Nicolson's invitation to Bell to speak at the Florentine Club; outlining proposals for Bell's paper and and practical arrangements for the visit (see also LBN/1/6 - February entries) [A digital copy of one of these letters can be found below]
-two letters, dated March & April 1935, concerning Nicolson's forthcoming visit to Paris and various introductions and recommendations provided by Bell. Also includes a note from Othon Friesz (see also LBN/1/6 - March & April entries)
-letter concerning an article written by Nicolson concerning expertise, art history and realism and how his views differ from those of Bell |
| Image Caption | Letter from Clive Bell to Nicolson concerning the proposal for Bell to talk at the Florentine Club, dated 28 January 1938 (2pp) |