Eric Ravilious (1903 – 1942) British wood engraver & ceramicist
Eric Ravilious (1903-1942) was a British watercolourist, wood engraver, and ceramics decorator known for his landscapes. He served as a war artist in WWII.
January 31, 2025
The British Designers collection highlights influential figures who have shaped decorative arts, furniture, industrial design, and interiors in Britain. British designers have played a crucial role in global design history, from Georgian craftsmanship to contemporary innovation. This category explores their contributions across furniture, textiles, ceramics, glass, and metalwork.
Topics include:
18th & 19th Century Pioneers – The craftsmanship of Thomas Chippendale, Robert Adam, and William Morris in furniture and interiors.
Arts and Crafts & Art Nouveau Innovators – The handmade ethos of Charles Voysey, Philip Webb, and Archibald Knox.
Mid-Century & Modernist Icons – The impact of Terence Conran, Lucienne Day, and Robin Day on British furniture and textile design.
Postmodern and Contemporary Designers – The bold innovations of Tom Dixon, Jasper Morrison, and Zaha Hadid in furniture, lighting, and architecture.
British Luxury & Craftsmanship – The enduring legacy of David Linley, Ilse Crawford, and Lee Broom in high-end interiors and decorative arts.
Eric Ravilious (1903-1942) was a British watercolourist, wood engraver, and ceramics decorator known for his landscapes. He served as a war artist in WWII.
Jacqueline Groag, a Czech designer, fled to Britain with her husband in 1939, becoming renowned for her vibrant textile designs and influential post-war patterns.Read More →
Peter Murdoch is a British designer known for innovative paperboard furniture, the Spotty Child’s Chair, and work linked to the 1968 Mexico City Olympic design programme.Read More →
Morrison produced quirky, satiric, understated furniture. His 1986 South Kensington flat was widely published in design magazines. He designed 1988 Door handles I and II, and a 1989 range of aluminium handles produced by FSB in Germany. Read More →
Sebastian Bergne, a minimalist designer, merges simplicity and complexity, inspiring us to see the extraordinary in everyday objects. His influence extends through design and education.Read More →
Lucienne Day was one of the most influential post-war British textile designers. She developed a unique style of pattern making. Read More →
Blenko established the first American factory to produce sheet glass for stained glass windows. Blenko’s early successes include providing glass for St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. The White House has a collection of Blenko table ware, used periodically. Wayne Husted pioneered the concept of “architectural scale” designs. Blenko’s “Historic Period” begins with Anderson in 1946 and includes work of Nickerson up to 1974.Read More →
Mary Quant, a pivotal figure in British fashion design, studied art and design at Goldsmiths College of Art from 1952 to 1955 while also taking evening classes in clothing construction and cutting. In 1955, in Knightsbridge, London, she established her first shop Bazaar on King’s Road, followed by the second shop Terence Conran designed in Knightsbridge.Read More →
London-based painter and illustrator Hattie Stewart is renowned for “doodlebombing” influential magazines with humorous and whimsical doodles, creating new meaning and artistic exploration.Read More →
Henry Cole was a key figure in 19th-century British design education, organizing the Great Exhibition of 1851 and advocating for design through various ventures.Read More →