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A self taught artist, Edward Seago has come to represent the best of British Post-Impressionism. The son of a coal merchant, he was born in Norwich in 1910 and initially his parents tried to persuade him to abandon all thoughts of being an artist in favour of a career in business. However, a heart condition interrupted his schooling and many of his early years were spent developing his interest in art. Aged fourteen, he won an award from the Royal Drawing Society and from then on his career was fixed
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Aged eighteen he joined Bevin’s Travelling Circus for, much like Laura Knight and Alfred Munnings, he was attracted to the drama and glamour of the circus. He subsequently published the books Sons of Sawdust and Circus Company. Another interest was the ballet, which took him to both Monte Carlo and New York which resulted in the book Tribute to Ballet, a collaboration with the poet John Mansefield
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Despite Seago’s intrinsic ill-health he joined the Royal Engineers at the outbreak of the Second World War, being invalided out in 1944. Field Marshal Alexander then invited him to Italy to record the Italian campaign. Thereafter, landscapes formed an important part of his oeuvre. The war paintings were exhibited at Colnaghi in 1945, creating a storm of interest that ensured a yearly exhibition of his work until 1967. He was elected RBA in 1946, ARWS in 1957 and RWS in 1959
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