JONZEN, Basil

1913 - 1967

Basil George Jonzén was born at Brondesbury, Kilburn, London on 3 June 1913, son of Swedish born Melker Birger Jonzén (1881-1960), a merchant, and his first wife Ethel May née Young (1889-1925), who married at Willesden, London in 1912 and in 1921 were living at 11 Dartmouth Road, Willesden, Middlesex with their two children Basil and 1-year-old Diana Mary. Basil studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in the 1930s under Bernard Meninsky (1891-1950). A painter in oils and early in his career established a successful relationship with the Redfern Gallery in London and during the 1930s travelled to France, mainland Spain, the Balearic, and the Canary Islands to paint. During the Second World War he was engaged in the camouflage service including in Norway and Nigeria. He married at Marylebone, London in 1944, sculptor Karin Jonzen née Lowenadler and their son was the artist, Martin Jonzén, but they later divorced. After the Second World War, Basil and his wife ran a successful weekend, open Saturday's and Sunday's, art gallery at their home in South Bolton Gardens, Kensington, the former home of Sir William Orpen; Jonzen subsequently opened a St George's Gallery, also in Cork Street, co-founded with Agatha Sadler (1925-2015) who was joined later with Robert Erskine, while his own artistic career waned in his later years. Basil Jonzén illustrated 'The Book of Bees' (1950) by Alexis Chesnakov and exhibited at the Royal Academy also showing with the New English Art Club; Royal Society of British Artists; Arthur Tooth Gallery in London and at the Phoenix Art Gallery, Lavenham, Suffolk 'East Anglia Past and Present'. Basil Jonzen’s work is held in several public collections, including The Arts Council, Bradford Art Gallery & Museums, and Brighton & Hove Art Galleries. Basil George Jonzén died at St Pancras, London in 1967.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from c/o Redfern Gallery, 20 Cork Street, W.1.
1944 481 Majorca Bay
from 9 Redcliffe Square, London SW. 10
1945 652 Roses
1946 391 Autumn in Essex
from 9 South Bolton Gardens, London SW.5
1947 43 Mousehole Harbour
1948 265 Karin modelling in Cornwall
from The White House, Chelsworth, Suffolk
1950 127 Bantrey Bay
1951 475 The Avenue of Willows
1952 657 Looking towards Nedging, Suffolk
from Wareside Lodge, Wareside, Hertfordshire
1953 493 Coup de Vent
from Dunstone Manor Annex, Champion Hill, London SE.5
1966 1328 Therese reflecting on her estate in Poland

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Works by This Artist