B.
Mind the gap
Behind the scenes
On October 4 last year, a series of original London Underground posters from 1913 to 1955 went under the hammer at Christies.
From the collection of the London Transport Museum, they featured some real gems, such as a military design by the always-terrific Sybil Andrews (working with Cyril Power as Andrew Power), who is represented by several works in the Gallery's collection, including the linocut below from 1934.
Sybil Andrews Racing 1934. Linocut. Presented by Mr Rex Nan Kivell, 1953
© Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 2012. Reproduced with permission
Another artist in the collection who designed posters for the Underground (though none were included in the auction) was Wilfred Wood, whose delicacy with botanical subjects is evident in Iris.
Wilfred Wood Iris. Woodcut. Presented by Mr Rex Nan Kivell, 1953
Related
Collection
Wilfrid Wood Iris
Wilfrid Wood specialised in delicate botanical studies, and 'Iris' shows his technical skill working with the woodcut medium. In 1926 he was commissioned to produce several botanical posters relating to Kew Gardens for the London Underground. He studied at the Manchester School of Art before moving to London, where he attended the Central School of Art and the Slade School. He worked in a wide variety of media, including linocuts, lithography, poster design and watercolour. Wood exhibited regularly at the Redfern Gallery and also the New English Art Club.
(Turn, Turn, Turn: A Year in Art, 27 July 2019 – 8 March 2020)
Collection
Cyril Edward Power The Eight
Sporting subjects were commonly used by many of the British linocut artists. Cyril Power had a studio near Hammersmith Bridge and he would watch the rowing teams on the River Thames. The highly rhythmical composition in The Eight skilfully captures the power and energy of the rowers as they pull on the oars. Power originally trained as an architect and he helped establish the Grosvenor School of Modern Art in 1925. Here he studied linocut under Claude Flight and he went on to become one of the most significant figures in the movement. Power collaborated with Sybil Andrews on several London Underground posters.