Eric Ravilious: Artist and Designer

Eric Ravilious (1903-42) was a major figure in early 20th-century British art, known for his work in watercolour, illustration, printmaking, graphic design, textiles, and ceramics. This book by Alan Powers provides a comprehensive overview of his work, discussing his education, formative influences, mural painting, printmaking, illustration, watercolour painting, and his role as a designer. It argues that Ravilious showed how decoration and historical reference could find a place in the reform of the applied arts while renewing a sense of national identity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2022
Publisher: Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd

Eric Ravilious (1903-42) is a highly celebrated artist whose work is deeply rooted in the landscape of pre-war and early wartime England. This captivating book, written by Alan Powers, the esteemed authority on Ravilious, offers a comprehensive exploration of the artist's diverse body of work across various mediums, including watercolour, illustration, printmaking, graphic design, textiles, and ceramics. Through its engaging and accessible text, adorned with numerous reproductions of Ravilious's remarkable creations, the book establishes Ravilious as a pivotal figure in the history of early 20th-century British art. Now available in paperback, this invaluable resource delves into the significant role that Ravilious's work played in shaping an English style, situated between tradition and modernism, while also drawing inspiration from naive and popular art of the past. The book meticulously examines Ravilious's various spheres of artistic activity, covering his education and formative influences, his mural painting, his printmaking and illustration, his leadership in pioneering a new style of watercolour painting between the wars, and his final period as an official War Artist. Tragically, Ravilious's career was cut short by an early death, but his impact as a designer remains profound. Powers argues that Ravilious demonstrated how decoration and historical reference could be integrated into the reform of the applied arts while simultaneously revitalizing a sense of national identity.

Eric Ravilious is a treasure for anyone with an interest in an artist whose imagination was matched by exceptional skill and a keen eye for the extraordinary. His legacy continues to inspire and captivate audiences, reminding us of the power of art to transcend time and leave a lasting impression on our collective consciousness.

Dimension: 270 x 249 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781848225923