Through text and full-color illustrations, uncovers the lives and times of the unruly Vorticists, whose innovative abstract artworks shattered early twentieth-century conventions.
 
The Vorticists, a rebellious cohort of young artists in early twentieth-century England, defied the conventions of the art world with their distinctive abstract creations. Despite the brevity of their existence, from 1911 to 1914, their startling innovations left an indelible mark on English art history. In this book James King explores the personalities and lives of these colorful individuals, capturing the tumultuous environment in which they thrived. The narrative presents biographies of the group’s members, such as Jessica Dismorr, Wyndham Lewis, William Roberts, Helen Saunders, and Edward Wadsworth—“our little gang,” as Ezra Pound called them—highlighting personal conflicts and providing a concise, highly readable history of the movement. This book is ideal for art enthusiasts, historians, and anyone intrigued by avant-garde movements of the early twentieth century.

James King is professor emeritus of English at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. His previous books include Paul Nash: Designer and Illustrator.