Paul Drury
Encyclopedia
Paul Drury was an artist and printmaker born Albert Paul Dalou Drury in Brockley
, London, the son of sculptor Alfred Drury
.
, London in 1903. He was educated at Bristol Grammar and Westminster School
. In 1921 he entered Goldsmiths School of Art in New Cross
, London.
, a 19th century pastoralist, and this is seen in his early etchings in 1922. After study, Drury taught at the leading British Art Schools of the time including the Central School of Art, Heatherley School of Fine Art
, and latterly at the school from where he graduated, Goldsmiths.
In 1944 he was commissioned, with other leading artists of the day, to produce a series of prints for Cowan's, a leading artist's printmaker.
After World War II, Drury returned to Goldsmiths and became part of the mid 20th century Goldsmiths School. Drury eventually became Principal of Goldsmiths in 1966 for three years.
Drury produced 92 etchings, almost half of which were portraits and a quarter of which were landscapes. Although the majortiy of his work was portraiture, he is known for his landscapes including 'September' and 'Nicols Farm'.
He exhibted regularly at the Royal Academy
, London, and, amongst others, via the British Council
at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
; the National Gallery of Canada
; the National Gallery of New Zealand and in the British Pavilion of the 1939 World's fair in New York.
His work is held at the National Portrait Gallery, London, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
; the National Gallery of Canada
, amongst others.
Drury was President of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers for five years from 1970-75.
He married the painter Enid Solomon in 1937; two years later at the outbreak of war, Drury could not serve due to his damaged sight. Instead of becoming a war artist, he worked at Queen Mary's Hospital
, in Roehampton
in the plaster workshop.
Paul Drury died on 19 May 1987. The Daily Telegraph obituary praised him as ‘One of the most distinguished etchers and draughtsmen in that remarkably gifted generation of printmakers who grew up between the two World Wars. [His landscapes] contain a deep poetic quality which was to exert a powerful influence on the succeeding generation of neo-Romantic artists.’
Brockley
Brockley is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross.It is covered by the London postcode districts SE4 and SE14.-History:...
, London, the son of sculptor Alfred Drury
Alfred Drury
Alfred Briscoe Drury, was an English architectural sculptor and figure in the New Sculpture movement.Born in London, Drury studied under Edouard Lanteri and Jules Dalou, with whom he worked between 1881 and 1885, and then became assistant to Joseph Boehm.Drury is best represented at the Victoria...
.
Early life
Drury was born in BrockleyBrockley
Brockley is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross.It is covered by the London postcode districts SE4 and SE14.-History:...
, London in 1903. He was educated at Bristol Grammar and Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
. In 1921 he entered Goldsmiths School of Art in New Cross
New Cross
New Cross is a district and ward of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. It is situated 4 miles south-east of Charing Cross. The ward covered by London post town and the SE 14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwich...
, London.
Career as artist
Drury was influenced by the work of Samuel PalmerSamuel Palmer
Samuel Palmer was a British landscape painter, etcher and printmaker. He was also a prolific writer. Palmer was a key figure in Romanticism in Britain and produced visionary pastoral paintings.-Early life:...
, a 19th century pastoralist, and this is seen in his early etchings in 1922. After study, Drury taught at the leading British Art Schools of the time including the Central School of Art, Heatherley School of Fine Art
Heatherley School of Fine Art
The Heatherley School of Fine Art was named after Thomas Heatherley who took over as principal from James Mathews Leigh . Founded in 1845, the school is affectionately known as Heatherley's...
, and latterly at the school from where he graduated, Goldsmiths.
In 1944 he was commissioned, with other leading artists of the day, to produce a series of prints for Cowan's, a leading artist's printmaker.
After World War II, Drury returned to Goldsmiths and became part of the mid 20th century Goldsmiths School. Drury eventually became Principal of Goldsmiths in 1966 for three years.
Drury produced 92 etchings, almost half of which were portraits and a quarter of which were landscapes. Although the majortiy of his work was portraiture, he is known for his landscapes including 'September' and 'Nicols Farm'.
He exhibted regularly at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
, London, and, amongst others, via the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
; the National Gallery of Canada
National Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery of Canada , located in the capital city Ottawa, Ontario, is one of Canada's premier art galleries.The Gallery is now housed in a glass and granite building on Sussex Drive with a notable view of the Canadian Parliament buildings on Parliament Hill. The acclaimed structure was...
; the National Gallery of New Zealand and in the British Pavilion of the 1939 World's fair in New York.
His work is held at the National Portrait Gallery, London, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
; the National Gallery of Canada
National Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery of Canada , located in the capital city Ottawa, Ontario, is one of Canada's premier art galleries.The Gallery is now housed in a glass and granite building on Sussex Drive with a notable view of the Canadian Parliament buildings on Parliament Hill. The acclaimed structure was...
, amongst others.
Drury was President of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers for five years from 1970-75.
Personal life
At 10 years old, Drury lost the sight in one eye, due to an air-gun pellet, whilst palying with his brother.He married the painter Enid Solomon in 1937; two years later at the outbreak of war, Drury could not serve due to his damaged sight. Instead of becoming a war artist, he worked at Queen Mary's Hospital
Queen Mary's Hospital
Queen Mary's Hospital Roehampton is a hospital in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1915 to provide care for wounded soldiers, it became a world renowned limb fitting and amputee rehabilitation centre. Recently rebuilt and modernized it has become a unit of the Wandsworth Primary Care Trust...
, in Roehampton
Roehampton
Roehampton is a district in south-west London, forming the western end of the London Borough of Wandsworth. It lies between the town of Barnes to the north, Putney to the east and Wimbledon Common to the south. The Richmond Park golf courses are west of the neighbourhood, and just south of these is...
in the plaster workshop.
Paul Drury died on 19 May 1987. The Daily Telegraph obituary praised him as ‘One of the most distinguished etchers and draughtsmen in that remarkably gifted generation of printmakers who grew up between the two World Wars. [His landscapes] contain a deep poetic quality which was to exert a powerful influence on the succeeding generation of neo-Romantic artists.’