£990 

Raymond Sheppard:
Chipperfield Common Herts, circa 1950
Mounted (ref: 3889)

Watercolour, 9 7/8 x 13 5/8 in. (25 x 34.5 cm.)

 

Tags: Raymond Sheppard watercolour leisure Metropolitan transport

Provenance: Christine Sheppard

Literature: Raymond Sheppard, Capturing the Moment, Langford Press, reproduced in colour, as The Sunday Afternoon Outing,  p. 157.

EH Gombrich  references Raymond Sheppard's 'How to Draw Birds', and includes a reproduction of one of his drawings,  in his celebrated treatise 'Art and Illusion', (1960).

Born London 3 March 1913, Raymond Sheppard was an artist in water-colour, black and white, oil, and pastel.

Studied art at Bolt Court under S.G. Boxsius.
He exhibited: R.A; R.I; R.S.A and his work was reproduced regularly in publications including Lilliput ; The Studio, Picture Post, John Bull, Everybody’s ; in children’s books, nature books and calendars. 

Married Iris Gale on December 3rd 1942; had one daughter Christine born 17 March 1944, and one son Michael born 25th July 1946.   All feature frequently as the models in his work.  Lived in Kenton and then Harrow Weald, Middx.

He served in the RAF photographic section during the WW2. Despite long periods of ill health and the interruption of the War years he was, nevertheless, prolific in demonstrating his wide range of artistic ability as a master draughtsman, illustrator, and landscape and wildlife artist..

Raymond Sheppard produced many studies of birds and animals from life, mainly at Regents Park Zoo and was made a Fellow of the Zoological Society in 1949.
Publications: How to Draw Birds (first published by Studio in 1940), Drawing at the Zoo (1949 Studio), More Birds to Draw (Studio 1956).

He also painted landscapes, family portraits, in watercolour, oil, and pastels . He was a founder member of the Wapping Arts Group, a group of artists who sketched and painted by and around the river Thames in London, which was formed just before WW2 but did not start in earnest until 1946. 

Raymond Sheppard died in London of cancer in 1958 with which he had battled since 1949. 

Rayond Sheppards work has recently undergone a major reassessment being the subject of a number of museum and commercial shows and  featured in the Langford Press coffee table book "Raymond Sheppard:Capturing the Moment"(2009).