Douglas Cooper – a complex character with a passion for Cubism
The collector, art historian and critic Douglas Cooper (1911-84) relished conflict. He was a formidable man, loud in speech and dress, with forceful views and a taste for ridicule. He could also be very funny. John Richardson, Picasso's biographer, who knew Cooper better than most, said it was as though an angel and a demon child were perpetually fighting for control of his personality. Physically robust, Cooper survived being stabbed in the stomach when he was 50 after unwisely propositioning a French soldier.
He is remembered today, if at all, for his legendary collection of Cubist art, focusing on the four greats of the movement: Picasso, Braque, Léger and Gris. His taste was backed by intense scholarship and he was one of the earliest collectors of Cubism, a rare passion for an Englishman. He was a man of independent thought and opinions, though prey to paranoia and self-indulgent tantrums. He was apparently asked to resign from the Reform Club four times because of bad behaviour. Francis Bacon, with whom he had a very typical falling out, called him 'a prissy old voluptuary'.
This complex figure is the subject of a new book which claims to be an objective biography. It is enriched by having two authors, although there is inevitably a degree of overlap between their texts. The first part is more or less straight biography, by Adrian Clark. The tone is relentlessly disapproving, a clear dislike of Cooper extending to his quondam partner Richardson. Clark calls Cooper a sociopath, a malign, vindictive and wilful person. He claims that the book 'displays' Cooper's life, rather than judges it, but he repeatedly tells us how unpleasant the man was.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
8 hours ago
- Scotsman
Scottish golfer shoots 'unbelievable 60' to boost DP World Tour card bid
Daniel Young enjoys 'one of those days' to finish third in Hotel Planner Tour event in France Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Daniel Young said he didn't know he had a chance of firing a 59 after storming through the final on the final day to light the flame on his Hotel Planner Tour campaign. The Perth man finished third behind Englishman James Morrison in the Blot Play9 event at Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André after signing off with a ten-under-par 60. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The blistering effort, which contained two eagles, equalled the course record after it had been set earlier in the week by Ireland's Max Kennedy. Daniel Young acknowledges the crowd during the final round of the Blot Play9 at Golf Bluegreen de Pleneuf Val Andre in France |'It was just one of those days,' said Young, who was out in 31 before storming home in a brilliant 29. 'Yeah, played great then things just started falling into place. 'I'd played well on the front but then chipped in on ten from just short of the green for an eagle and you think 'oh, we've got a little chance here to get on a run'.' Asked if he'd been thinking about shooting a magical 59 when a birdie at either the 17th or 18th would hace done the trick, the Scot added: 'Not really, to be honest. I forgot that it is a par 70 here, so I wasn't even thinking 59. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I was just thinking about trying to pick up some more shots and have a chance to win the tournament. 'I thought if I could maybe go out and shoot maybe four under five that would gave been a really good Sunday. So, to shoot 60 is just unbelievable.' Finishing with a five-under-par target, he came up just one short of a play-off that saw Morrison beat Kennedy at the first extra hole. 'This place is never there for the taking and my game this week has been a bit mixed,' said Young, who picked up €21,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Bizarrely, I've driven it great, which you need to do round here, but my approach play had been pretty slack, though it tidied up a bit today.' The effort lifted Young from 52nd to 26th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, with the top 25 at the end of the season securing DP World Tour cards. 'It's been quite a frustrating year,' he admitted, having made it to the season-ending Grand Final in Mallorca for the first time last season before ending up a career-best 32nd in the standings.
The Herald Scotland
18 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
'When we saw him collapse live on stage, we didn't know what happened'
The memories of the death of Cooper over 40 years ago still burn bright. 'When we saw him collapse on stage we didn't know what happened,' the actor recalls. 'But this was the days of Ceefax, so we turned it on and discovered the reality. He adds: 'I've since found out that the girl who put Tommy's cloak on him at the final moment was so traumatised she gave up the business straight after.' Cooper, the six-feet four-inch magician whose every bone in his body was funny has since featured episodically in the performance life of Damian Williams. 'I heard a few years ago that producers were looking for someone to play Tommy, and they couldn't find anyone,' says the Essex-born actor. 'It was a friend of mine who asked if they'd seen Damian Williams, and they had no idea who I was. Anyway, I auditioned and was literally offered the part before I'd left the building.' The show is on at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow (Image: PAMELA RAITH) Willams then toured with that play. 'I kept coming back to him and then Paul Hendy wrote the (short) film The Last Laugh, which evolved into the current stage play." The actor acknowledges that playing Tommy Cooper is not about offering a standard impression. 'We've all tried to steer clear of doing that,' he says of the comedy trio. 'But it's hard to find footage of Tommy when he's not being Cooper. The routines are no problem, I love doing them, so for the rest you just have to try and imagine what he would have been like in those circumstances.' He adds, by way of example, 'Years ago I did a stage version of Up Pompeii, in which I played Frankie Howerd. And I made a choice not to be a Frankie Howerd tribute act. The play was funny enough in itself.' Williams does admit to picking up lots of Tommy mannerisms over the years, 'just by watching him and being a fan.' Yet, Cooper is far from simply being a gags machine. His personality adjective seems to cry out 'melancholic.' Is that fair? 'Yes, it is. He had lots of health problems over the years, and he drank quite a lot. You can see interviews with him, and you think 'God, he was pissed there.' It was a challenge for him to get on stage on time. The Last Laugh is packed full of gags, as you would expect, but it doesn't stay away from offering insight into the stresses, the pressures of performance. And it dissects the threesome's comedic abilities, with Monkhouse conceding the other two are naturally funny, while he has to work hard at it. 'And we show how these guys know what their job is – and that's to go out there and be funny, regardless of what they're having to deal with in their private lives.' What would have happened if these three entertainment giants had actually come together at one point? 'I think the play is probably very close to getting it right,' says the actor. 'There is a lot of pi**taking, a lot of banter, and Tommy and Bob were good friends, and Tommy was also really good friends with Eric. I've got a great photo of Tommy at Eric's daughter's birthday party at their home.' Read more Williams knew Bob Golding, who plays Eric Morecambe. 'We both play Dame in panto,' he says, (Williams is the winner of British Panto's Great Dame Award) both working for (writer/producer) Paul Hendy. And we'd seen Simon Cartwright in a play A Man Called Monkhouse. In fact, it was while watching the play that Hendy had an epiphany. 'He announced 'Hold on! I've got you playing Tommy Cooper, Bob playing Morecambe and Simon playing Monkhouse. There has to be something in that.' What Williams brings to his work is a range of experience few modern-day actors can claim. 'I left school aged 15 and managed to land a place in a rep theatre company,' he recalls, 'which is so unheard of now. And the bloke running the rep said, 'You don't need to go to drama school - because I can teach you everything you need to know.' And he did.' Rep theatre is (in)famous for chaos, sets falling down, catching fire . . . What are his favourite worst moments? He smiles. 'Well, there was one time we were half-way through doing an Agatha Christie play and this bloke wearing a hi-vis jacket walked across the back of the stage and began to measure the set. I thought 'What the f*** is this?' Did this lovely juxtaposition of period play costumes and modern-day health and safety uniform sit well with the audience? 'Yes, they were in stitches. And it turned out he was the lorry driver sent to collect the set and take it to the next venue. But he didn't realise the play was going on.' He laughs. 'And we kept on going on.' There were many such surreal moments. 'I remember once working on a play called Bedside Manners and I had to stand at a concierge's desk, reading from a big book. And as I opened the book, the lights went up and a butterfly flew down from the dress circle, in full spotlight and landed on the page. The audience gasped at the sheer delight of this moment, and I said 'Sorry, no pets!' and it flew off again, and I got a massive laugh. But after the show, some of the audience asked 'Does this happen every night?' And I said, 'Yes, of course. It's a trained butterfly.' "But that was better than the bat which dive bombed us for ever during a performance of John Godber's Bouncers. We couldn't get rid of it, and the audience were in hysterics.' The Last Laugh, the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, July 15-19
Edinburgh Live
19 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Antiques Roadshow guests 'not allowed' to do one thing which could ruin the show
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Antiques Roadshow participant was taken aback by a strict rule on set, and the valuations of her items also left her surprised. The moment occurred during the filming of the American version of the popular BBC programme. Journalist Jennifer Kopf had the opportunity to participate in the forthcoming series filmed at Grant's Farm in St. Louis. The Country Living writer brought along a framed silhouette and blue glass lamps, keen to learn their value. She explained that depending on the category of your item, you end up consulting with an expert appraiser from that field in a designated area 'spread out all across the grounds'. To prevent any spoilers from leaking, she disclosed that there was one rule she had to adhere to while on set. Jennifer penned for the magazine: "Set up in between were three different filming 'studios' with those famous tables arranged for the big-time appraisals." (Image: Anna Gordon/BBC/PA Wire) I wasn't allowed to tape anything happening on set so as not to take away anything from the big reveals come air time. "Unfortunately, her items didn't fetch the price she had hoped for, with her framed silhouette fetching a modest $25 to $ what really stung was the disappointing valuation of the lamps. Jennifer admitted: "$15 a piece. I have to admit, this hurt a little. But I still love my lamps and will find a perfect spot for them soon". (Image: BBC) This follows another Antiques Roadshow episode where a guest was left astounded after a family ring, long assumed to be inexpensive costume jewellery, turned out to be rare and valuable. An emerald piece has fetched a price far beyond its anticipated value. The astonishing discovery was made during an episode first aired in October 2022 and rebroadcast on Sunday, 15 June. Expert John Benjamin left one family utterly gobsmacked. The guests, two cousins, brought along a trove of inherited heirlooms passed down through the generations. Among the items were a gold novelty pencil, a decorative brooch featuring a fly on a flower, and the green stone ring that became the focus of attention. Discussing the provenance of the pieces, the guests disclosed that many belonged to their great-great-great grandmother, born in 1858. One item, a pencil shaped like a mountaineer's ice pick, bore the names of French mountains. The most startling revelation concerned the green stone ring, which the family had always believed to be costume jewellery. Benjamin valued the ring at a staggering £4,000. In total, the collection was estimated to fetch around £7,000 at auction. Antiques Roadshow can be viewed on BBC One and iPlayer.
