Skip to content

Biography

Born in Sri Lanka but raised primarily in England, Julian Lethbridge (b. 1947, Colombo) received his education at Winchester College and Cambridge University before moving to New York. Working in drawing and painting, Lethbridge creates work of cerebral abstraction, often based on mathematical or natural principles. Methodically building up his surfaces with pigment, he then incises them with repeated patterns. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Lethbridge limited his work to shades of black and white, mining the richness of monochromatic painting. More recently he has begun to introduce vibrant colors and more gestural brushwork into his paintings. Lethbridge’s work has been widely exhibited throughout the United States and Europe and can be found in the permanent collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; The Tate Gallery, London; The Art Institute of Chicago; and The National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

Selected Works

Selected Works Thumbnails
Julian Lethbridge Untitled, 2003-04 oil on canvas, 85 x 76 1/2 inches Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Julian Lethbridge
Untitled, 2003-04
oil on canvas, 85 x 76 1/2 inches
Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Julian Lethbridge Diode, 2015/2016 Oil, pigment stick,and pigment stick in medium on linen 72 x 36 in. (182.9 x 91.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Diode, 2015/2016
Oil, pigment stick,and pigment stick in medium on linen
72 x 36 in. (182.9 x 91.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge Counterpoint 1, 2016 oil and pigment stick on linen 72 x 60 in. (182.9 x 152.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Counterpoint 1, 2016
oil and pigment stick on linen
72 x 60 in. (182.9 x 152.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge Quartersawn 1, 2016 oil and pigment stick on linen 52 x 44 in. (132.1 x 111.8 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Quartersawn 1, 2016
oil and pigment stick on linen
52 x 44 in. (132.1 x 111.8 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Hermes, 2016-2018
oil, pigment stick, and pigment stick in medium on linen
60 x 72 in. (152.4 x 182.9 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Hermes, 2016-2018
oil, pigment stick, and pigment stick in medium on linen
60 x 72 in. (152.4 x 182.9 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Rope, 2016 - 2020
Oil and pigment stick on linen
52 x 44 in. (132.1 x 111.8 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Rope, 2016 - 2020
Oil and pigment stick on linen
52 x 44 in. (132.1 x 111.8 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Broken Helix, 2021
oil and pigment stick on linen
50 x 60 in. (127 x 152.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Broken Helix, 2021
oil and pigment stick on linen
50 x 60 in. (127 x 152.4 cm)

Inquire
Julian Lethbridge
Fulcrum #2, 2021
oil and pigment stick on linen
60 x 72 in. (152.4 x 182.9 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Fulcrum #2, 2021
oil and pigment stick on linen
60 x 72 in. (152.4 x 182.9 cm)

Julian Lethbridge Untitled, 2003-04 oil on canvas, 85 x 76 1/2 inches Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Julian Lethbridge
Untitled, 2003-04
oil on canvas, 85 x 76 1/2 inches
Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Julian Lethbridge Diode, 2015/2016 Oil, pigment stick,and pigment stick in medium on linen 72 x 36 in. (182.9 x 91.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Diode, 2015/2016
Oil, pigment stick,and pigment stick in medium on linen
72 x 36 in. (182.9 x 91.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge Counterpoint 1, 2016 oil and pigment stick on linen 72 x 60 in. (182.9 x 152.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Counterpoint 1, 2016
oil and pigment stick on linen
72 x 60 in. (182.9 x 152.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge Quartersawn 1, 2016 oil and pigment stick on linen 52 x 44 in. (132.1 x 111.8 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Quartersawn 1, 2016
oil and pigment stick on linen
52 x 44 in. (132.1 x 111.8 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Hermes, 2016-2018
oil, pigment stick, and pigment stick in medium on linen
60 x 72 in. (152.4 x 182.9 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Hermes, 2016-2018
oil, pigment stick, and pigment stick in medium on linen
60 x 72 in. (152.4 x 182.9 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Rope, 2016 - 2020
Oil and pigment stick on linen
52 x 44 in. (132.1 x 111.8 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Rope, 2016 - 2020
Oil and pigment stick on linen
52 x 44 in. (132.1 x 111.8 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Broken Helix, 2021
oil and pigment stick on linen
50 x 60 in. (127 x 152.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Broken Helix, 2021
oil and pigment stick on linen
50 x 60 in. (127 x 152.4 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Fulcrum #2, 2021
oil and pigment stick on linen
60 x 72 in. (152.4 x 182.9 cm)

Julian Lethbridge
Fulcrum #2, 2021
oil and pigment stick on linen
60 x 72 in. (152.4 x 182.9 cm)

Video

Julian Lethbridge discusses his recent exhibition at Paula Cooper Gallery, New York (September 17–October 16, 2021).