In recent years Eric Ravilious has become recognized as one of the most important British artists of the 20th century, whose watercolours & wood engravings capture an essential sense of place & the spirit of mid-century Engl&. What is less appreciated is that he did not work in isolation, but within a much wider network of artists, friends & lovers influenced by Paul Nash`s teaching at the Royal College of Art
- Edward Bawden, Barnett Freedman, Enid Marx, Tirzah Garwood, Percy Horton, Peggy Angus & Helen Binyon among them. The Ravilious group bridged the gap between fine art & design, & the gentle, locally rooted but spritely character of their work came to be seen as the epitome of contemporary British values. Seventy-five years after Ravilious`s untimely death, Andy Friend tells the story of this group of artists from their student days through to the Second World War. Ravilious & Co. explores how they influenced each other & how a shared experience animated their work, revealing the significance in this pattern of friendship of women artists, whose place within the history of British art has often been neglected. Generously illustrated & drawing on extensive research, & a wealth of newly discovered material, Ravilious & Co. is an enthralling narrative of creative achievement, joy & tragedy.