Henry Cliffe

‘Lithography is a process capable of great refinement and subtlety, of rich exuberance of colour; it is capable of rendering large and powerful images, of delicate drawing, of a wide and exciting range of textures – the possibilities are virtually unlimited’.

Henry Cliffe was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, in 1919. He studied printmaking, specialising in lithography, first at the Scarborough School of Art and then the Bath Academy of Art, where he later taught. His bold use of colours and abstract compositions earned him recognition in international exhibitions, and notably participation in two Venice biennales. It is not hyperbole to say that the boundaries of figuration as well as lithography were significantly expanded through Cliffe’s work.

Henry Cliffe's work is now represented in collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the City Art Gallery in Bristol, and at the University of Bristol.

Image: Untitled