From April, the exquisite Dulwich Picture Gallery in south-east London will be displaying the work of Eric Ravilious, one the most accomplished graphic artists of the twentieth century.
The Dulwich Picture Gallery are following up their successful show From the Forest to the Sea: Emily Carr in British Columbia with the more snappily titled Ravilious, a survey of the work of British artist and designer Eric Ravilious (1903-42).
One of the iconic British artists of the interwar period, Ravilious’ work evokes a fragile world through a nostalgic affection for the vernacular and commonplace details. Despite tragically dying during World War Two while working as an official war artist, Ravilious produced a significant oeuvre of work in his short life, both as a commercial designer and as a painter.
Focusing particularly on Ravilious’ watercolours, this exhibition promises to feature both the idiomatic (Westbury Horse, 1939) and the obscure, with rarely seen paintings from private collections being exhibited. The accompanying book by exhibition curator James Russell will provide the first full-length critical study to focus on Ravilious’ watercolours and will include among its illustrations images of previously unpublished paintings.
Ravilious rarely talked about his work, but through this upcoming exhibition, which hopes to highlight common characteristics in his paintings and wider work as an engraver and lithographer, it is possible that we will get to know afresh this beguiling artist and designer.
Ravilious
1 April – 31 August 2015
Dulwich Picture Gallery
dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk