Neo-Romantic Book Illustration in Britain 1943 – 1955

Neo-Romanticism was an art movement that drew inspiration partly from the landscapes of Samuel Palmer and the illustrations of William Blake, but also from more recent art movements such as cubism. It focused on the emotional content of the work, prioritising content over form.

Our exhibition is about the Neo-Romantic Period in illustration, which came after WW2 and the end of Heath Robinson’s career. A new spirit of romanticism suffused English book and magazine illustration as people reacted against the gloom of blackout and rationing. The artists represented in the exhibition include John Minton, Keith Vaughan, Eric Fraser, John Craxton, Michael Ayrton, Edward Bawden, Barnett Freedman and Henry Moore..