DUDLEY HOLLAND (BRITISH 1915-1956)
Women in a Wood
1945
linocut in colours on laid
image 24.6 x 38cm
unframed/mounted
ARR

Note: Dudley Holland was born in Surrey in 1915 and studied at the Chelsea School of Art. Holland was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art, but opted not to continue his artistic studies, opting instead to practice and teach others. He was appointed the Head of York Art school at just 34, demonstrating his passion for his subject and interest in sharing it with others. In 1950 his works were exhibited at York Art Gallery in an exhibition titled "Two Modern Artists" where alongside sculptor Austin Wright, Holland captivated audiences with his innovative modern linocuts and paintings which explored expression of form and colour rather than merely capturing a likeness.

Printmaking in Britain saw a resurgence in the 20th century, where linocuts became a key tool in the evolving art landscape. The material itself is a modern invention- first conceived as a flooring material in the 1860s, it was quickly adopted by artists as an affordable medium in the production of prints. Unlike the specialist tools required for engraving woodblocks and copper plates, linoleum could be manipulated using simple knives and chisels, making linocuts an accessible method of printmaking. Claude Flight, a lecturer at The Grosvenor School established in 1925, and key figure in British printmaking, saw linocuts as a democratic means for expression. This pioneering school taught students to embrace colour, representation, shape and mood through linoleum creating vibrant and joy-filled images. The Grosvenor School, housed in Pimlico was intrinsically linked to the tension of modern inner-city life and was influenced by avant-garde movements such as Vorticism and Futurism. In contrast, whilst Dudley Holland embraced the pioneering style of the Grosvenor school, and undoubtedly interacted with its figures during his time at Chelsea, his more rural upbringing and later move to historic York undoubtedly influenced his subject matter. Instead of the bustling scenes of city life he illustrated twisted roots, woodland scenes, animals and abstract naturalistic forms. Elements of Vorticism can be seen in his depiction of water and use of abstract pattern. Holland favoured linocut and woodcut techniques where he created complex multi-layer images with great texture and depth of colour.

Holland also exhibited at the Arts Council Cambridge, the Royal Academy and the Redfern Gallery- which hosted the first exhibition of the Grosvenor School artists. A skilled print maker he was well respected in his field and there are clear stylistic links between Holland and his early 20th Century contemporaries. The artist's life was tragically cut short in a motorbike accident in 1957, and a retrospective of his work was shown in Guildford.