THOMAS, Denis 1922-2003

OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for CA sketch: Born July 23, 1922, in London, England; died January 3, 2003. Art critic, editor, journalist, and author. Though he had a varied career in writing, editing, and teaching, Thomas was best known for his books and articles about art. During World War II he saw action in Burma, and after the war he assisted with finding homes for displaced people in Germany, leaving the military as a major in 1946. He then completed his education at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, where he received a B.A. in 1949. Thomas began a career in journalism as the executive editor of United Nations World from 1950 to 1951. This was followed by a year as a publicity manager for Penguin Books, and then five years as an editor and writer for Ingot. He was a freelance critic and writer for various periodicals from 1957 until joining Independent Television News as a deputy editor in 1961. From 1964 until 1981 he was the editor of Advertising Quarterly in London, and from 1979 to 1981 the art critic of Now! magazine. Over the course of his career, Thomas published over two dozen books. While his earlier works ranged in subjects from broadcasting and journalism to biography and history, from the 1970s onward he focused mostly on books about art and artists. Among these are Picasso and His Art (1975), The Age of the Impressionists (1987), Monet on Location (1994), and Van Gogh on Location (1994). He also regularly contributed articles on art for Listener, Connoisseur, and Antique Collector.

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

books

Writers Directory, 18th edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 2003.

periodicals

Times (London, England), March 12, 2003.