Series Spotlight - Eric Ravilious
The beauty of the English landscape in winter, with just a tiny amount of surrealism, is the essence of this artist, who was influenced by his tutor, Paul Nash.
His work is magical but it is difficult to clearly identify what is the defining quality that makes this artist's work so unique.
Eric William Ravilious (1903-1942) was an English painter, designer, book illustrator and wood engraver. He grew up in Sussex and is particularly known for his watercolours of the South Downs. He served as a war artist and died when the aircraft he was on was lost off Iceland on the 2nd September 1942.
He was educated at Eastbourne Grammar School and then went to Eastbourne School of Art, followed by the Royal College of Art. In 1925 he received a travelling scholarship to Italy and visited Florence, Siena and the hill towns of Tuscany.