Harry Blacker, 1910-1999
Main details
| Reference number | 1996/5222 |
|---|---|
| Name | Harry Blacker |
| AKA | Nero |
| Born | 1910 |
| Collection | |
| Object type |
|
| Completeness | 60% |
-
Biography
Attribute Value Biography Born in Whitechapel, London, Harry Blacker's father was an imigrant cabinet maker from Russia and his mother from Vilnus, Lithuania. He started drawing at home encouraged by a cousin, who became a painter after serving in the First World War and another cousin who attended art school. Harry also won a scholarship but his family could not afford to send him to college. He spent five years as an apprentice learning printing and engraving. He became an illustrator for Daily Herald and various other newspapers and magazines. He attended evening classes at the Sir John Cass Institute, where he met Harold Stabler, who introduced him to Christian Barman and Frank Pick. This led to commissions by London Transport for posters - for which he was paid £8. He also designed posters for Shell and the Post Office. His style is to work rapidly with initial sketches. He produced cartoons under the name Nero. During Second World War he was a sergent in the Royal Artilliary and taught signwriting to servicemen before they were demobilised. Harry Blacker lectured at a number of art colleges. He continued to contribute articles and cartoons to the Jewish Chronicle. He has exhibited at Whitechapel Art Gallery and examples of his work are in the Ben Uri Gallery.Nationality BritishEducation Sir John Cass Institute,Employment Designed posters for London Transport, 1938-1939Role Artist,