Jan Gordon

Born Godfrey Jervis Gordon in Berkshire, Jan Gordon (1882–1944) was an English painter, printmaker, draughtsman, journalist, and critic. He was educated at Marlborough College and the Truro School of Mines, but his career moved decisively toward art and writing, and he exhibited his work in Britain, Europe, and the United States.

With his wife, the artist and writer Cora Gordon, he became known for an unusually wide-ranging creative life. The couple painted in Paris before the First World War, later traveled extensively, and published a long series of travel books together. These books helped make them distinctive voices in interwar travel writing, mixing observation, humor, and a strong sense of atmosphere.

Gordon’s interests were never limited to one form. Alongside his books, he worked as a critic and visual artist, bringing the same alert, wandering perspective to both page and canvas. He is remembered today not only for his own work, but also for the lively artistic partnership he formed with Cora Gordon.