Sitwell's poetry collection
A Hundred and One Harlequins attracted some attention in 1922, but the first works to gain more widespread notice and acclaim were three prose studies of painting, architecture and music:
Southern Baroque Art (1924),
German Baroque Art (1927) and
Spanish Baroque Art (1931).
Cyril Connolly called
Southern Baroque Art "a milestone in the development of our modern sensibility".
Journey to the Ends of Time (1959), was "a kaleidoscopic series of meditations on death and the possibility of survival". As his poetry was so severely criticised, particularly by those who disliked the Sitwells in general, and although
Canons of Giant Art (1933, including the highly praised poem '
Agamemnon's Tomb') was a work of considerable impact, In 1967
Derek Parker published a selection of his poems in the summer edition of
Poetry Review, including 'Serenade to a Sister', an elegy for his sister Edith.
An Indian Summer (1982), with a preface by
Peter Quennell, collecting together 100 of his best most recent poems, was his final volume of poetry. In his later life he withdrew from the publicity that attached to
the Sitwells collectively, instead preferring to travel and concentrate on writing. He succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his elder brother Osbert in 1969. He was made a
Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in 1984. His main residence was
Weston Hall,
Northamptonshire, the family home and he served as
High Sheriff of Northamptonshire for 1948. ==Personal life==