Gertrude Hermes
Encyclopedia
Gertrude Hermes, RA
OBE
(1901 – 1983) was a British
wood engraver, print maker
and sculptor
..
She was born in Bickley
, Kent
.
She studied at Leon Underwood
School of Painting and Sculpture, from 1921 to 1925.
She won the Prix de Rome
in 1925.
In 1926, she married Blair Hughes-Stantonl; they separated in 1931.
She worked in Canada from 1940 to 1945.
She exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy
from 1934.
She showed at the Venice International Exhibition in 1939.
She taught wood and lino block printing at the Royal Academy Schools, from 1966.
She was elected associate to the Royal Academy
in 1963, a member in 1971 and was awarded an OBE in 1981.
Her vision was austere, of what has been called "benign severity". She was teacher of wood engraving at the Royal Academy Schools until 1976. Her work is in many public collections including the Tate
, and National portrait gallery.
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...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1901 – 1983) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
wood engraver, print maker
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable...
and sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
..
She was born in Bickley
Bickley
Bickley is an affluent residential area and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is a suburban development situated 10.4 miles south east of Charing Cross...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.
She studied at Leon Underwood
Leon Underwood
Leon Underwood "The precursor of modern sculpture in Britain" was a noted British sculptor, painter, draughtsman and engraver as well as a writer and illustrator, scholar, teacher, philosopher and stained glass and furniture craftsman...
School of Painting and Sculpture, from 1921 to 1925.
She won the Prix de Rome
Prix de Rome
The Prix de Rome was a scholarship for arts students, principally of painting, sculpture, and architecture. It was created, initially for painters and sculptors, in 1663 in France during the reign of Louis XIV. It was an annual bursary for promising artists having proved their talents by...
in 1925.
In 1926, she married Blair Hughes-Stantonl; they separated in 1931.
She worked in Canada from 1940 to 1945.
She exhibited 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...
from 1934.
She showed at the Venice International Exhibition in 1939.
She taught wood and lino block printing at the Royal Academy Schools, from 1966.
She was elected associate to 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...
in 1963, a member in 1971 and was awarded an OBE in 1981.
Her vision was austere, of what has been called "benign severity". She was teacher of wood engraving at the Royal Academy Schools until 1976. Her work is in many public collections including the Tate
Tate
-Places:*Tate, Georgia, a town in the United States*Tate County, Mississippi, a county in the United States*Táté, the Hungarian name for Totoi village, Sântimbru Commune, Alba County, Romania*Tate, Filipino word for States...
, and National portrait gallery.
Notable works
- Spring bouquet, 1929, wood engraving
- Leda and the Swan, 1932, sculpture
- The warrior's tomb, 1941, wood engraving
- Bat and Spider, 1932, wood engraving
- Other Cats and Henry, 1952, wood engraving
- Kathleen Raine, 1954, sculpture
Further reading
- 2011: The Sculpture of Gertrude Hermes by Jane Hill (Lund Humphries) 978-0-85331-865-1
- 1993: The Wood-Engravings of Gertrude Hermes edited by Judith Russell (Lund Humphries) 978-0-85967-888-9
External links
- http://studiodiary.blogspot.com/2009/05/linocut-by-gertrude-hermes.html