Peter Lanyon (1918-1964)

Lanyon first went to Italy in December 1943, where he worked as a flight mechanic in the RAF. His deployment lasted two years, in which time he learned Italian and travelled the southern provinces, drawing, painting and making constructions. Lanyon saw Italy as his spiritual home and this relationship informed some of his best works. Lanyon's first trip back to Italy after the war was with his wife in 1950.