Sir Henry Rushbury RA (1889-1968) is a forgotten treasure of twentieth-century British art. Internationally renowned during his lifetime, Rushbury was a modern master of the ancient art of drypoint. With no more than a few minute grooves and flecks cut in the surface of a copperplate, he conjured extraordinary effects of atmosphere in topographical views made throughout Europe, from the churches of London to the ancient hilltop village of Les Baux-de-Provence and the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence. This catalogue raisonne of Rushburys prints presents a timely opportunity for the rediscovery and reassessment of this astonishing body of work. A lively introduction by the art historian Felicity Owen places Rushburys highly successful career in the context of the febrile art world of inter-war Britain, while a biography by the artists daughter includes previously unpublished details of his working life to complete a compelling portrait of one of the countrys finest printmakers.
Published on the occasion of an exhibition held at the Tennant Gallery, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 4 June-12 September 2010.
