Poster artwork; Greenwich Observatory, by Eric Ravilious, circa 1937

This is one of two works that Eric Ravilious produced for London Transport in the mid-1930s. Both paintings depicted views of Greenwich, one of the observatory and one of the pier. Neither of these images was used as a posters, although a series of woodcuts by Ravilious were used to illustrate Green Line coach timetables and L.T.'s Country Walks guides. Eric Ravilious was born in London. He studied at the Eastbourne School of Art (1919-22), then the Design School at the Royal College of Art (1922-5), where Paul Nash was his tutor. In 1940 he was appointed an official war artist.