In this ground-breaking book, a theory of 'distortion' - of the way in which the processes of human life are subject to interference, diversion and transformation - is developed by way of the art of one of Britain's greatest twentieth-century painters and that art's public reception. An illustration, through Stanley Spencer's story, of significant aspects of a human condition, this book will appeal across disciplines, to art historians and students of Spencer's work, as well as to scholars of anthropology with interests in creativity, perception and interpretation.

Preface. Part I An Introduction to Stanley Spencer, Distortion, and Methodology: The anthropological project; Introducing Stanley Spencer as painter and as public figure; Introducing distortion as a concept; Methodological considerations, and doubts. Part II Stanley Spencer's Vision: Painting love and redemption: Stanley's metaphysics; Inspiration and the creative process: 'definition through passion'; First conversation: 'what kind of art is Stanley Spencer's'?; 1932 to 1938: 'the beatitudes of love'; Distortion and Stanley's reaction to it; Second conversation: 'what do Stanley Spencer's distortions mean?'. Part III A Human Document: Distortion in individual consciousness and in social relations, and love; Third conversation: 'the Stanley Spencer Gallery as labour of love?'. Bibliography; Indexes.

Nigel Rapport is Professor of Anthropological and Philosophical Studies and Head of the School of Philosophy, Anthropology, Film and Music at the University of St Andrews, UK. He has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and been awarded the Rivers Memorial Medal by the Royal Anthropological Institute. Among his recent books are: Reflections on Imagination; Social and Cultural Anthropology: The Key Concepts; and Anyone: The Cosmopolitan Subject of Anthropology.