Anything but a Still Life: The Art and Lives of Molly Lamb and Bruno Bobak

by Nathan Greenfield

Overview

A Globe and Mail’s Spring 2021 Book Preview Selection

Molly Lamb and Bruno Bobak shot to prominence as war artists during the Second World War. Marrying shortly after the end of the war, they moved first to Vancouver and then, in 1960, to Fredericton, where they settled permanently. Molly’s paintings were vibrant and colourful, featuring dynamic crowd scenes and wildflowers that seem to wave on the page. In contrast, Bruno painted near-abstract cityscapes, stunning landscapes, and distorted bodies wracked with inner torment, work that is unique in Canadian art.

In this book, acclaimed author Nathan M. Greenfield brings to light the private and public lives of two of the most important figures in 20th century Canadian art. Greenfield combines archival research into Molly’s diaries and letters with dozens of full-colour reproductions of their work, archival photographs, interviews with friends and contemporaries, and an analysis of paintings by both artists. The result is an intimate portrait of the art and lives of Molly Lamb and Bruno Bobak: their critical acclaim, commercial success, and a turbulent marriage that lasted over fifty years.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781773100937
Publisher:	Goose Lane Editions
Publication date:	03/30/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	392
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Nathan M. Greenfield is the author of eight books, including The Damned: The Canadians at the Battle of Hong Kong and the POW Experience, 1941-45, shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction. A regular contributor to the Times Literary Supplement, Greenfield’s articles have also appeared in the Walrus, Canada’s History, the Globe and Mail, and Maclean’s.

Table of Contents

A Note to the Reader 11

Prelude: A Scene from Their Marriage 13

Introduction 17

Part 1 1920-1945

Chapter 1 Learning Their Trade 39

Chapter 2 The Education of Two Artists as Young Soldiers 53

Chapter 3 War Artists 73

Part 2 1945-1973

Chapter 4 Painters Two 95

Chapter 5 Putting Down Roots 121

Chapter 6 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf on the Saint John River 149

Part 3 1973-1990

Chapter 7 Picturing Desire 173

Chapter 8 "The Fall of the House of Bobak" 229

Chapter 9 A Sense of Place 249

Chapter 10 Two People Who Have Outworn Each Other 271

Part 4 1990-2014

Chapter 11 The Compleat Angler 293

Chapter 12 "I Belong to Myself" 317

Chapter 13 Quietus 333

Coda 339

A Small Financial Note 347

Acknowledgements 349

Endnotes 353

Bibliography 373

Index 383

Editorial Reviews

"Greenfield's book rises far above conventional biography. With his depth of cultural knowledge, Greenfield explores the artistic careers of Molly Lamb Bobak and Bruno Bobak, while unlocking the secrets to appreciating a wide range of visual arts."

"This engaging biography illuminates the lives of Molly and Bruno Bobak, two of Canada's most important artists, balancing their personal stories with their visual record. Greenfield's account of the Bobaks' lives — charting their artistic development as the hold of the Group of Seven slowly waned and abstraction came to dominate the art world — focuses extensively on their art, offering incredibly close readings of the Bobaks' remarkable artistic contributions to Canadian art history."

"Greenfield offers new insight into Bruno and Molly Lamb Bobak's complex relationship. They met and married in the aftermath of the Second World War, having served as official war artists, and continued to paint for decades. Based on new evidence, this book captures the Bobaks' intertwined lives, their clashing relationship, and the enduring value of their art."

"A nuanced assessment of their individual work and styles, and, through Lamb's diaries, a portrait of a tempestuous 50-year marriage."

"Relying on the frank diaries Molly kept throughout her life ... [their] troubled marriage is chronicled in intimate detail."

"A rich and detailed work... Greenfield has put the deserved spotlight on these artists."

"Whether as a reference work or a relatively academic account of the contributions of two Canadian artists, this book could be a good choice for a wide range of readers."

"Greenfield combines meticulously considered criticism and a careful chronology of Molly's and Bruno's lives."

From the Publisher

"This engaging biography illuminates the lives of Molly and Bruno Bobak, two of Canada's most important artists, balancing their personal stories with their visual record. Greenfield's account of the Bobaks' lives — charting their artistic development as the hold of the Group of Seven slowly waned and abstraction came to dominate the art world — focuses extensively on their art, offering incredibly close readings of the Bobaks' remarkable artistic contributions to Canadian art history."

Devon Smither

"A nuanced assessment of their individual work and styles, and, through Lamb's diaries, a portrait of a tempestuous 50-year marriage."

Globe and Mail - Emily Donaldson

"Whether as a reference work or a relatively academic account of the contributions of two Canadian artists, this book could be a good choice for a wide range of readers."

Winnipeg Free Press - Susan Huebert

"A rich and detailed work... Greenfield has put the deserved spotlight on these artists."

Miramichi Reader - Alison Manley

"Relying on the frank diaries Molly kept throughout her life ... [their] troubled marriage is chronicled in intimate detail."

Galleries West - Paul Gessell

"Greenfield's book rises far above conventional biography. With his depth of cultural knowledge, Greenfield explores the artistic careers of Molly Lamb Bobak and Bruno Bobak, while unlocking the secrets to appreciating a wide range of visual arts."

Carol Bishop-Gwyn

"Greenfield combines meticulously considered criticism and a careful chronology of Molly's and Bruno's lives."

Literary Review of Canada - Kelvin Browne

"Greenfield offers new insight into Bruno and Molly Lamb Bobak's complex relationship. They met and married in the aftermath of the Second World War, having served as official war artists, and continued to paint for decades. Based on new evidence, this book captures the Bobaks' intertwined lives, their clashing relationship, and the enduring value of their art."

Tim Cook