arts
March 26, 2026
The Two Roberts by Damian Barr audiobook review
This fictionalised account of the relationship between real-life artists Bobby MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun vividly depicts their romance and rise to fame – and the fall from grace that followed
TL;DR
- The book is a fictionalized account of the relationship between artists Bobby MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun.
- They met at the Glasgow School of Art in 1933 and lived and worked together.
- They moved to London, gained fame in the art world, and were nicknamed MacBraque and McPicasso.
- Their lives were marked by drinking, partying, and financial struggles.
- The audiobook is narrated by Michael Abubakar, who captures the characters' personalities.
- The narrative follows their rise in bohemian London and their subsequent fall into obscurity after World War II.
- The art world's shift towards abstract expressionism led to them falling out of favor.
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