Robert Lenkiewicz

This Ben Uri exhibition catalogue focuses on the life of Robert Lenkiewicz, who was inspired to paint after seeing Charles Laughton portray Rembrandt in Alexander Kordas film. Lenkiewicz frequently turned to self-portraiture and there are 38 self-portraits collected in this book, which span his whole career. The illustrations in the catalogue show his portraits in chronological order, starting with paintings of him as a 15-year-old, working in the hotel run by his parents in post-war years Cricklewood, to his last self-portrait in hospital before his death at the age of 60. Extracts chosen from interviews held with Lenkiewicz himself, as well as his relatives and friends, make this catalogue an enjoyable read.