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Eric William Ravilious, 1903-1942

Main details

Main details for this item.
Reference number
1996/5105
Name
Eric William Ravilious
Preferred name
Eric Ravilious
Born
1903
Collection
Object type
  • Person
Completeness
15%
  • Biography

    AttributeValue
    Biography
    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.

    He designed wood engravings for book illustrations, as well as book jackets, and jointly with Edward Bawden and Cyril Mahoney painted the murals for Morley College, London (1928-30).

    A design tutor at the Royal College of Art (1930-8), he worked on porcelain, glass, furniture and textile designs. In 1937, he executed the wall decoration for the British Pavilion at the Paris Exhibition. During the late 1930s, he increasingly turned to water-colour painting and colour lithography.

    The Crafts Council organised a major exhibition of his work in 1986.

    Although his work appeared in a series of books published by London Transport two major works 'Greenwich Pier' and 'Greenwich Observatory', intended for use on posters, were never used. Appointed an official war artist in 1940, Ravilious was killed on active service in Iceland.
    Education
    Royal College of Art, 1922-1925
    Eastbourne School of Art, 1919-1922
    Employment
    Designed illustrations for London Transport, 01/01/1933 - 31/12/1936
    Role
    Artist,