Literary scholar Miles Leeson discovered nearly 80 unknown paintings and sketches by Booker-Prize-winning author Dame Iris Murdoch tucked away in a dusty Oxford attic. The collection, featuring the writer’s sole known self-portrait, is now on public display at the University of Chichester’s library in West Sussex through December.
Unearthing a Literary Giant’s Hidden Visual Artistry
Dame Iris Murdoch spent decades cementing her legacy as one of Britain’s most celebrated novelists, philosophers, and Oxford academics. Yet, a recent discovery in an Oxford attic has revealed an entirely new dimension to her creative output. When Miles Leeson, who runs a centre in West Sussex, climbed into the eaves of a house where Murdoch lived during the early 1940s, he uncovered a pristine cache of visual art left untouched for decades.
The collection comprises roughly 80 paintings and sketches. Rather than deteriorating in the dark, the pieces survived largely intact, requiring nothing more than a gentle dusting. “Going into that house really did feel like stepping back in time,” Leeson remarked, describing the space as a dusty, cobweb-filled time capsule that offered an unexpected glimpse into the author’s formative university years.
The Discovery at a Glance
- The Find: Approximately 80 previously unknown paintings and sketches created by Dame Iris Murdoch.
- The Location: Discovered in a historic Oxford attic where the author resided in the early 1940s.
- The Exhibition: Currently on display for free at the University of Chichester’s library through December.
Influences and the Centerpiece Self-Portrait
Among the recovered works is what experts believe to be the author’s only known self-portrait. “It shows us Murdoch in a new light. There is a frisson when you come and have a look,” he noted, emphasizing the rare intimacy the painting provides.
Beyond the self-portrait, the artwork reflects Murdoch’s deep engagement with the wider artistic movements of her youth. Several pieces display clear nods to surrealist masters such as Paul Nash and Salvador Dalí. At the same time, the looming geopolitical anxiety and the building threat of war in Europe during the early 1940s visibly bled into her canvas work, offering a stark visual record of her mindset as a young academic in a fractured continent.
| Collection Detail | Exhibition Information |
|---|---|
| Total Artworks Found | Nearly 80 paintings and sketches |
| Key Highlight | The author’s only known self-portrait |
| Current Venue | University of Chichester library, West Sussex |
| Closing Date | December |
Future Plans for the Murdoch Archive
For now, the public can view the collection free of charge at the University of Chichester’s library through December.
Organizers are already looking toward the horizon. Discussions are underway regarding the collection’s next steps once the West Sussex exhibition concludes, with strong hopes that the artwork will eventually make its way back to Oxford or find a permanent home in a national museum.
