John Peter Berger, born on November 5, 1926, in London, England, and passing away on January 2, 2017, in Antony, France, stands as a towering figure in British essay writing and cultural thought. His prolific career spanned across novels, poetry, translation, and screenwriting, marking him as a truly versatile intellectual. He is most celebrated for his groundbreaking novel G. and the influential book and BBC series, Ways of Seeing.
Berger’s journey began with art studies at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, now Central Saint Martins. However, his education took a detour as he served in the British Army during and after World War II (1944–46). Upon returning to civilian life in 1946, he dedicated himself to art, studying drawing and painting at the Chelsea School of Art in London. By the 1950s, John Peter Berger’s insightful perspectives extended to art criticism, contributing to esteemed publications like the New Statesman and New Society. As a practicing artist, Berger held a strong belief in art’s societal reflection, advocating that socialism embodied society’s “profoundest expectations” during the 20th century. This conviction fueled his first novel, A Painter of Our Time, published in 1958, drawing from his experiences among émigré artists in London. Two years later, in 1960, he released Permanent Red: Essays in Seeing, his inaugural collection of art essays. His artistic sensibilities were particularly drawn to Cubism, with a deep appreciation for Pablo Picasso and Fernand Léger. John Peter Berger’s critical analysis took a controversial turn in The Success and Failure of Picasso (1965), where he posited that while Picasso’s Cubist works were progressive, much of his broader oeuvre represented a “failure of revolutionary nerve.” Further exploring the intersection of art and sociopolitical contexts, Art and Revolution: Ernst Neizvestny and the Role of the Artist in the U.S.S.R. (1969) showcased Berger’s admiration for Russian sculptor Ernst Neizvestny, lauding his contributions to the “world struggle against imperialism,” even amidst the Soviet Union’s disapproval of the artist.
John Peter Berger’s versatility shone through his diverse works. He penned the evocative texts for A Fortunate Man: The Story of a Country Doctor (1967) and A Seventh Man (1975), both powerful collaborations with photographer Jean Mohr, focusing on a country doctor’s life and the plight of European migrant workers, respectively. His literary talents extended to translation, bringing the works of Bertolt Brecht from German and Aimé Césaire from French to English-speaking audiences. G. (1972), arguably his most celebrated novel, garnered the prestigious Man Booker Prize. It was lauded for its intricate details and nuanced exploration of complex sexual and interpersonal dynamics. In the same year, 1972, John Peter Berger’s Ways of Seeing was adapted into a seminal BBC series comprising four 30-minute episodes. This series, and its subsequent book form, aimed to democratize art history, exposing the often-subtle mechanisms through which meaning and ideology are transmitted through visual media. Ways of Seeing became an indispensable text in art history education well into the 21st century, profoundly influencing how visual culture is analyzed and understood.
In 1974, Berger relocated to a small Alpine town, which became his home for the subsequent four decades. Beginning in the 1970s, he embarked on a cinematic journey, co-writing three screenplays with Swiss film director Alain Tanner. The most renowned among these is Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000 (1976), set in Geneva, portraying a group of individuals navigating the societal and political shifts following the unrest of 1968. Immersed in the rural French landscape, John Peter Berger explored his surroundings and the essence of French village life in his Into Their Labours trilogy. This compelling series included Pig Earth (1979), Once in Europa (1987), and Lilac and Flag: An Old Wives’ Tale of a City (1990). Berger’s collaborative spirit with Jean Mohr continued in 1982 with Another Way of Telling, a book delving into the ambiguous realities captured in photographs.
John Peter Berger began showcasing his own drawings and paintings in 1994, exhibiting in galleries across New York City and England. The 1990s and 2000s were remarkably productive, witnessing the publication of numerous works, including the novels To the Wedding (1995), Photocopies (1996), and King: A Street Story (1999); the semi-autobiographical Here Is Where We Meet (2005); From A to X: A Story in Letters (2008), which was long-listed for the 2008 Man Booker Prize; and collections of essays and art criticism such as The Shape of a Pocket (2001), Hold Everything Dear: Dispatches on Survival and Resistance (2007), Understanding a Photograph (2013), and Daumier: Visions of Paris (2013). In recognition of his profound impact, John Peter Berger was honored with the Golden PEN Award in 2009, bestowed by English PEN to a writer whose life’s work has deeply resonated with readers. Through his diverse and insightful body of work, John Peter Berger left an indelible mark on art criticism, literature, and cultural discourse, solidifying his legacy as a significant intellectual voice of his time.
