Jan and Cora Gordon

The Coventry Evening Telegraph of Wednesday 14 November 1934 carries an account of "PORTUGUESE SOMERSAULT" An Interesting Travel Volume. Jan and Cora Gordon visited Portugal in 1926 and again last year. The result is a finely illustrated account of their experiences, " Portuguese Somersault" (Harrap. 1Os. 6d. net).  Mr. and Mrs., Gordon have a genius for reaching the hearts of the people; they avoid the ' ordinary show places like poison and wander away from the beaten track.  This book has the warmth and geniality of the southern sun beneath which they travelled and lived.  " For the Portuguese have three inestimable gifts laughter. song, and the sun. The Portuguese labourer need not spend much of his miserable pittance merely to keep his soul from being shivered out of his body.  Social reform goes ahead more slowly in hot countries merely because there is not the simple physical demand for it. Thus Utopia, though easier to reach than in a

The Pall Mall Gazette , Friday 20 October 1922, carried an article on Jan and Cora Gordons' " Poor Folk in Spain ." The title was " PAINTING UNDER DIFFICULTIES ." The book describes a 1920 journey to Spain by the Gordons. Here is the text of the article. "There is a delicious irresponsibility about the newest book on Spain, "Poor Folk in Spain," by Jan and Cora Gordon , 12s. 6d.. published by the Bodley Head, and some of the illustrations are funny enough to remind one of Heath Robinson. The pictures the Gordon have brought back with them to England each have a history. Here are some quotations from the book that will show you some of the difficulties of painting in Spain : Skirting the fonda wall, I found a corner which seemed secluded, and, sitting down, I began to paint an old woman and her fruit stall. One by one a few people gathered behind me. Blas, the gipsy musician, came up, greeted me, and added his solid presence to the spectat