Archibald Ziegler (1903-1971)

It is perhaps surprising to learn that Archibald Ziegler - an artist little known today - had 14 one man shows during his life time held at prestigious venues which included the Whitechapel Art Gallery (1932), Adam Gallery (1935), Wertheim Gallery (1937), Leger Gallery (1938) and the Ben Uri Gallery (four shows between 1950-59). Ziegler was born in London in 1903 and studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts. He subsequently (from 1927 to 1930) studied at the Royal College of Art under William Rothenstein, whom he recalled as ‘a lively and inspiring Principal’. The late 1920s was a rich period to attend the RCA : the likes of Bawden, Ravilious, Mahoney, Sorrell, Bliss and Freedman had already completed their formative studies and, in what was to prove the golden age of the Royal College of Art, their influence can be seen in Ziegler’s early work. Later on the influence of his fellow Jewish artists - Joseph Her