Dad's other passion was art. His best friend was an Armenian called Aram or Mouradian who was an art dealer (and who had originally been a friend of Percy Crosland my grandfather)
Aram's nickname was "man"!
Aram not only sold dad pictures but shaped a lot of his views; to the end of his days dad would distinguish between painters (people with real talent) and mere decorators
Dad had been friends at Gresham's school with a distinguished cartoonist called Cummings (who went onto work in Fleet St for many years) and always felt a little jealous of his talent, but I think dad was talented and Dad always thought Edwina had great talent too.
Dad accompanied Aram on a visit to Picasso's studios (I imagine at 7 rue des Grands-Augustins on the Left Bank of Paris and met him though dad told me the great artist (who my most accounts was not a kind man ) ignored him
Aram possibly meant more to dad than any other human being and when he died dad rushed to Paris and was at his orthodox funeral.
In his fantasy "An invitation to Dinner" he finishes the book with these words"We (Mouradian and dad)aspired to the shining temple of the spirit, but the vision is too faint and the pull of the earth too strong"
Post script
In her book "Merchants in exile: the Armenians in Manchester, England, 1835-1935 "
Joan George briefly mentions Aram
"Aram Mouradian, a good friend of my parents, became a fine art dealer in Paris"
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