John Frederic Greenwood, RBA, RE, ARCA (1885-1954)
Born in Rochdale but living most of his life in Ilkley, Greenwood was an accomplished watercolour artist, printmaker and wood engraver but it is for the latter that he is best known.
He studied at both Shipley and Bradford Schools of Art, and then at the Royal College of Art (RCA), 1908-11 and subsequesntly taught in schools and art colleges in Yorkshire.
Greenwood was elected a member of the Royal Society of Painters, Etchers and Engravers in 1939 and a member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1940.
He exhibited in the UK and overseas and gave early support to the Society of Wood Engravers (SWE). Wood engraving was not taught officially at the RCA during Greenwood’s time there, but he was introduced to the medium by a fellow student, C.W. Taylor, and became an enthusiastic champion of this art and craft.
In 1921 his first wood engraving was exhibited with the SWE, but in 1926 he became involved with Gordon Craig’s rival group, the English Wood Engraving Society (EWES), along with other artists including Percy Bliss, Gertrude Hermes, Blair Hughes-Stanton and Leon Underwood. The members of the EWES broke away from tradition to use wood engraving in more abstract ways, but Greenwood’s style remained more in the tradition of Thomas Bewick, characterised by its realism and skilfully rendered attention to detail.
Four of his wood engravings of Wharfedale scenes were shown at the First International Exhibition of Lithography and Wood Engraving, 1929, in Chicago. His work appeared as book illustrations, including books published by the Cambridge University Press.
In addition to his own work, John Greenwood was an art lecturer at Battersea Polytechnic for 15 years, then served as head of design at the Bradford School of Art from 1928 – 1937, before moving Leeds College of Art, where he was the Head of Industrial Design & Crafts until his retirement in 1948.
Examples of his work are in the collections of the Ashmolean, Glasgow, British Museum, V&A, Leeds Art Gallery, and Bradford Museums and Galleries.
Argument Yard, Whitby
Early deeds from the mid 17th century suggest that this famous yard belonged to a certain Thomas Argment and his family. The spelling remained the same for the yard until 1830, when it was changed to ‘Arguments’ which it is believed is actually an Anglicization of the Flemish name Argoment’.
The etching is offered in a good, clean condition with ample margins suitable for mounting and framing.
Measures 18 by 22.5 cms
