Henry Cliffe exhibited several lithographs at the Redfern Galley during the early 1950s. Bean Poles shows his interest in including highly abstract forms within his compositions.

Cliffe was born in Scarborough where he studied art before serving in the army between 1939 and 1946. He then studied at the Bath Academy. Cliffe was the principal teacher of painting and lithography at Corsham Court from 1950 and provided much technical assistance to other artists working in lithography. In 1965 he published Lithography: A Studio Handbook, a notable a guide for students and artists alike.