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Artists, Siblings, Visionaries

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Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction

'Outstanding' - The Guardian

'Judith Mackrell has done an incredible job in bringing to life the stories of these two great artists' - Anthony D’Offay

'This is a must read . . . a deeply moving account of a family bursting with talent' - Anne Sebba

In Artists, Siblings, Visionaries, acclaimed biographer Judith Mackrell turns her attention to British brother and sister artists Gwen and Augustus John.

In many ways they were polar opposites.

Augustus was the larger of the two; vivid, volatile and promiscuous, he was a hero among romantics and bohemians, celebrated as one of the great British talents of his generation.

As a woman, Gwen's place in the art world was much smaller, and her private way of working and reserved nature meant it was only long after her death that her tremendous gifts were fully acknowledged. But her temperament was as turbulent as her brother's. She formed passionate attachments to men and woman, including a long affair with the sculptor Rodin.

And there were other ways in which the two Johns were remarkably alike, as Mackrell vividly reveals. The result is a powerful portrait of two prodigiously talented artists and visionaries, whose experiments with form and colour created some of the most memorable work of the early twentieth century.

449 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 19, 2025

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About the author

Judith Mackrell

16 books40 followers
Judith Mackrell is a writer and dance critic for the Guardian. She lives in London with her husband and two sons.

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5 stars
23 (19%)
4 stars
73 (61%)
3 stars
18 (15%)
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3 (2%)
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Stephanie.
Author 82 books1,433 followers
Currently Reading
April 25, 2026
Oof. 86 pages in, and this book is full of fascinating stories, rich and vivid historical details and compelling emotional dynamics...

But I've had to set it aside, at least for a minute, because the entire Augustus John storyline (especially clearly shown in contrast to the arc of his equally gifted sister, who was otherwise so similar in so many ways) could be accurately subtitled: "How the patriarchy turns talented men into monsters," and I just feel so, so bad for every single woman in his adult path.

I will come back to this when I've had some time off to decompress, but OOF.
Profile Image for Sophie (RedheadReading).
811 reviews77 followers
April 4, 2026
A well-written and engaging biography of these sibling artists, although I confess I don't particularly like either of them!
1 review
June 8, 2026
Not a book I’d usually read but was recommended at my book club. A fascinating book about the life of 2 Welsh artists who were siblings.
I’d never heard of them before but found their whole life story very compelling.
3 reviews
June 6, 2026
I absolutely loved this book. A fascinating insight into the relationship between the two siblings: the development of their work and the contrasts in how the art world treated male & female artists. If you love art, I would recommend this….
Profile Image for Mary.
2,244 reviews
July 13, 2025
I'd come across the John siblings in other books as they were on the periphery of society, so it was great to read their stories. Gwen was so impressive in her commitment to art, Augustus on the other hand doesn't come across as a particularly good human being or particularly interesting artist.
200 reviews
April 13, 2026
Don’t be put off by the length of this book. It is a biography of two artist siblings who lived and worked very different lives. This is a double biography but the author does a fabulous job of interweaving the two lives in chronological order. There is so much detail that is fascinating and at times I had forgotten which person was but I don’t think it matters in the end. I spent my time googling images as they were brought up. Both artists have left a great legacy. Gwen has maybe piqued the most interest as her life was fought for and so easily could have been lost. It is an astonishing tale of lives in the beginnings of the 20th Century - both of them were really pushing boundaries which were totally unacceptable even by today’s standards.
Profile Image for Annikky.
635 reviews322 followers
May 15, 2026
3+ It is, in fact, a really good biography, enhanced by its dual nature. As the siblings are so different (but also in some ways alike), comparing and contrasting them works very well. I just wasn’t particularly interested - reading about artists doesn’t usually work well for me , I was doing it this time to complete the Women’s prize for non-fiction short list. The Johns aren’t necessarily the most likeable protagonists either. But if you are interested in them or biographies of artists in general, it is a very well done version.
Profile Image for Joanna Jenkins .
1 review
June 14, 2026
I would highly recommend this book. It’s incredibly well written and engaging biography of two Welsh artist siblings, trying to live creative lives on their own terms. I really enjoyed seeing how their lives unfolded against a backdrop of historic 19th events.
Profile Image for Rita Egan.
729 reviews91 followers
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
April 16, 2026
2026 Women's Prize for Non-fiction Shortlist 3/6

I was completely unaware of either artist until this dual biography appeared on the Longlist for the Women's Prize this year. I actually only picked it up to read it because it made the Shortlist, which surprised me.

Even though the writing lacks the narrative embellishments I'd normally associate with contemporary eye catching biography, the details of the unconventional lives of this brother and sister are compelling enough to make this a fabulously interesting read.

It is dense, and dry in parts, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the fortnight of googling and mapping it has prompted.

I'm inclined to side eye Gus's legacy. What a rascal. How I worry for the women and many, many children in his life. My sympathies lie more with Gwen, but I wouldn't have wanted to know her either.

They were products of their time and of their tragic childhood. My ears may prick when their names come up in future, now that I have some context for their art, but what a sad outcome that Gwen's art deprived her of a life, and Guses life choices squandered his artistic talent.
Profile Image for DustyBookSniffers -  Nicole .
424 reviews61 followers
May 26, 2026
I went into Artists, Siblings, Visionaries, feeling a little unsure of what I was actually getting myself into. If I am being completely honest, I knew very little about Gwen and Augustus John before picking up this book. In fact, at the beginning, I even found myself wondering why I should care about these artist siblings and their lives. It seemed like one of those books that I may appreciate intellectually but not necessarily connect with on a personal level.

Then something interesting happened.

As the pages flipped and Judith Mackrell slowly unfolded their lives, I found myself becoming increasingly invested. What first felt like a straightforward biography gradually became something much more intimate. It changed into a story about family, identity, creativity, ambition, and what it means to live authentically.

What I particularly loved was seeing the contrast between Gwen and Gus. They almost felt like two sides of the same coin. Gus seemed larger than life, vibrant and magnetic, someone who lived loudly and openly. Everything about him appeared expansive, from his personality to his artistic presence. Gwen, on the other hand, felt quieter and more inward-looking. There was a stillness about her, but also an incredible depth and passion that slowly revealed itself throughout the book.

I also have to admit that this book sent me straight down a rabbit hole, and I absolutely love it when a book does that. I found myself heading to Google, wanting to see more of their artwork and learn more about them beyond the pages of the biography. I found it fascinating how their personalities appeared to echo through their art. Gus's work felt vibrant and full of movement and life, whereas Gwen's work carried a quieter, more reflective quality. It almost felt as though their paintings became another way of understanding who they were.

What stood out to me the most though was Gwen herself. Despite often being overshadowed by her brother, despite being quieter in both personality and public presence, I actually came away feeling that she perhaps lived more authentically than anyone else in this story. There was something admirable about the way she chose her own path, even if it meant stepping away from recognition and attention. She felt deeply committed to herself and her art, and for me, that became the emotional centre of the book.

Judith Mackrell does a wonderful job of bringing these siblings to life beyond simply presenting dates and achievements. She captures the complicated emotions, tensions, and connections between them while also showing how differently history can treat artists over time.

I have to thank the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction for putting this one on the longlist and, eventually, the shortlist, because otherwise I honestly do not think I would ever have picked it up. It ended up being one of those surprising reading experiences that starts with uncertainty and quietly works its way under your skin.

Sometimes the books you are least convinced about at the beginning end up taking you somewhere you never expected to go.

Profile Image for Tutankhamun18.
1,521 reviews31 followers
April 20, 2026
I enjoyed and was was very entertained by this joint biography of Gwen John and August John. Siblings and artists that lived through many changes in society, the Great War and the rise of Facism, they both becamee superstars in their own right of the London Art Scene.

This account is very well written and pulls on alot of primary evidence including letters, journals and diaries. Despite this it reads easy and is entertaining in the mix of details and context that it gives the reader about these two artists.



QUOTES

“But the truth of a life is hard to excavate and even harder to judge - even those who knew the Johns well could struggle to decide whether they were admirable or awful. Augustus, with his reckless volatile passions, could be a danger to himself and to others, but to those who loved him he could also be a hero, a kind of visionary who saw his life in brighter, more exciting colours. Gwen, in her refusal to compromise her independence and her work, could equally be revered as a saint, yet to her family and friends she could also appear cranky, ruthless and even coldly ungenerous.
The one unarguable fact about the Johns, however, is the extraordinary journey they made: two shy and angry young teenagers who, without money or influence, made the world of art their own, and found distinction and acclaim."

“"Gus spent obedient hours in the galleries, but the abundance of art on the walls, the wealth of genius, was impossible to assimilate. He thought he should concentrate on one specific artist or school, but, lost between the luminous colours of Titian, the earthy physicality of Rembrandt, the quick-limbed grace of Watteau's figures and the
'voluptuous ghosts' of his favourite Pre-Raphaelite painters, he didn't know how to choose. Later, he would describe how he'd all but paralysed himself, 'loading my mind with a confusion of ideas which a lifetime hardly provides time to sort out'"

“"As he'd written in his memoir, it was that freedom which had allowed both him and Gwen to imagine other lives. The messages of earth and changing sky... the example of the nomads, our desultory but voracious reading and unfettered daydreams all conspired to stir up discontent and longing for a wider free world than that symbolically enclosed by Tenby's town walls; we craved for Art Liberty Life, perhaps Love!” And it was perhaps in their craving for those great, capitalized wonders, in their need to reach beyond their own limits, that the Johns were most alike as siblings. Even when Gus appeared to be squandering his talent, to be settling for the easiest options, he was still always reading and thinking, still mustering his hopes for the next epic work, the next pure
adventure. Equally, even when Gwen appeared to have withdrawn from her art “
Profile Image for Delphine.
658 reviews29 followers
May 27, 2026
A quite revealing portrait of Welsh siblings Augustus and Gwen John: artists, visionaries and both utter failures in their personal lives.

After the early death of their mother, 'Gus' and Gwen forged a strong bond. Both saw art as a way out, had a scorn for banality, a yearning for beauty and love, and were susceptible to depression. Their connection was strong but unbalanced, with Gus using his superior learning as a weapon in their battle for dominance.

Art history and reception is not Mackrell's aim, although she refers to the stylistic developement of the siblings (from traditional painting to a deep affinity with the European avant-garde) and their production at different times in their lives. Mackrell's focus is on the insidious lives of Gus and Gwen.

Gus is depicted as a flamboyant bohemian, leading a destructive ménage à trois with his wife Ida and partner Dorelia. He had an insatiable need for sexual excitement (hence his many children) but was an erratic father, and he was unable to console his children after the untimely death of their young brother. A seriously damaged and damaging man, Mackrell points out his gypsy nature and his dream of leading a nomadic life through England with caravans. Gradually his fame extended into popular culture, and he was regarded as an eminent man of British painting. At the end of the twentieth century, his reputation waned and was eclipsed by that of his sister.

Gwen also had outrageous passions for both men and women and could be utterly obsessed by her love objects - Rodin being the most important one. Later on she converted to catholicism and became a recluse, her life confined to ground, church, work and cats. She died as elusively as she lived, how she died and where she is buried remains a mystery to his very day.

Even though their registers of work and lives totally contrasted, both Augustus and Gwen were utterly self-absorbed and selfish and not very likeable.
690 reviews5 followers
April 25, 2026
There are already biographies of Augustus and Gwen John, but 'Artists, Siblings, Visionaries' presents the Johns' art, lives and loves together for the first time. This approach provides a valuable tool for comparing and contrasting their art and examining the difficulties of their relationship - and, I think, helps to set them both firmly in the artistic context of their age. Perhaps because of the dual nature of the book, after Gwen's death in 1939, a single chapter takes us to the end of Augustus' life in 1961. By the end (and it has taken me some time to read the book), I had spent so long in their company, that I was reluctant to leave them.

With such positive comments, why the slow progress? A significant factor is the picture section - and not in a good way.
A real cause of frustration (and one which could so easily have been remedied) was the lack of plate numbers and references to them in the text, leading to frequent scrolling through the picture section, only to find that the work of art concerned wasn't included. Admittedly, this became less of a problem as I progressed through the book, since I gained familiarity with selected images with every repetition of the process.

The footnotes were also a little unconventional. The numbered footnotes themselves contained source references only and not additional information about a person, painting etc. Instead, the availability of extra detail was indicated by an asterisk. This dual system had the advantage of making it clear whether you would find a source reference or further explanation, but, as one asterisk looks like another, some searching could be required once in the appropriate section of the book, whereas the numbered references were immediately identifiable.

These niggles aside, I enjoyed learning about the two artistic John siblings. I shall undoubtedly be reading more about them - and searching out their works in galleries. A trip to Cardiff seems in order...
1,233 reviews52 followers
April 10, 2026
3.5 stars

I was not aware of Gwen and Augustus John before this book so I was looking forward to finding out more about them. Prior to reading it, I thought these were artists from the 1700-1800s, not ones that died in the mid 20th Century. I don't know Judith's background but I assume she has experience in art, but either way this is phenomenally researched. At times it felt like there was too much information, which I know sounds weird in a biography but there was a lot to take in. It is a long book, and I think possibly too long, especially for the reader to keep adequate focus. It's done what a biography should do which is pique my interest to find out more. It's an engaging piece of writing but I can't say I liked the siblings. Her a bit more, but felt very unlikeable, and I felt it was overbalanced in his favour and I'd have wished a bit more about her. But overall it was fresh and interesting, well researched and well written, just a tad too long with a slightly waning focus.
774 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy
June 17, 2026
Ok I got my copy from the library, in Australia, not sure when this is out elsewhere.

The author has done a great job to get source material, the writings mainly letters (?) of the two artists from the time. It gives each of them a genuine voice across time.

Wow. Like other readers I had to put this down, because of the lifestyle of Augustus John compared to his sister. OMG patriarchy 101. It was breathtaking, and not in a good way. It was just over 100 years ago - women couldn't have their own bank accounts, if they were out alone were assumed to be prostitutes and harassed (although arguably we still get harassed when out alone), the old boys club of looking after your mates. The attitude of Augustus and women. He was A SHOCKER. Selfish, self absorbed. Being 'a man of his time' there is an accusation which was not tried, and yet I believe, it's horrific and he is vile. So I did stop reading to be honest as it got too much.

Read to the end and it was really sad about his sister Gwen. Her struggles. Considering, it's amazing that she did any work.
Profile Image for Jo.
754 reviews15 followers
April 13, 2026
A fascinating and detailed read about the lives of the artists Gwen John and her brother Augustus John. Both incredibly talented, it was interesting to discover how their techniques developed over time and the influences that made an impression on their work. Neither of them appear to have been very nice people though. Seemingly indifferent to the impact their behaviour might have on others - Gwen an intense introvert and Gus a philandering, heavy-drinking extrovert. While the detail was fascinating, it also made it a little tedious at times and at one point I also gave up for a lighter read. But I learnt much about the artists I didn’t know before. It’s a shame the pictures didn’t reproduce in the Kindle edition.
Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.
Profile Image for Julie  Rose.
70 reviews4 followers
July 31, 2025
An engaging account of the lives and loves of Gwen John and her brother Augustus. Augustus as a man, was inevitably the larger of the siblings and was celebrated as one of Britain’s greatest talents. Gwen however, was an exceptionally talented artist, even though she didn’t receive the same acknowledgment in her lifetime. This is a powerful portrait of the sibling’s relationship, their life, loves and art.
Profile Image for Katy Wheatley.
1,505 reviews61 followers
May 28, 2026
Thoughtfully written and well balanced. I had worried that as there was more information about Augustus that the book would be skewed in his favour, but Mackrell does a good job of being even handed. She also does a great job of picking through the scandal and notoriety and attempting to balance the art and their lives.
Profile Image for Suswati.
150 reviews10 followers
April 7, 2026
I found this a bit of a slog to read. Augustus John had the usual personality traits of a male artist of his time. Hence, his story is rather tedious. I felt like the book was imbalanced as a result, and not enough was said about Gwen John, who was considered the more talented artist.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews