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Eric Kennington
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United Kingdom
• 1888
- 1960
Biography
Eric Henri Kennington (12 March 1888 – 13 April 1960) was a British sculptor, painter, and illustrator, renowned for his role as an official war artist in both World Wars. Born in Chelsea, London, he was the son of the painter Thomas Benjamin Kennington, a founding member of the New English Art Club. He studied at St Paul's School and then at the Lambeth School of Art. From 1908, he exhibited at the Royal Academy and, in 1914, presented a series of paintings and drawings of street vendors to the International Society, which enabled him to establish a studio on Kensington High Street.
In August 1914, Kennington enlisted in the 13th Battalion, London Regiment, and fought on the Western Front. Wounded in January 1915, he was repatriated to England. During his convalescence, he produced "The Kensingtons at Laventie," a painting of his infantry platoon, praised for its poignant depiction of the exhausted soldiers. In 1917, he became an official war artist for the Ministry of Information, producing around 170 works, mainly portraits of soldiers. His work was exhibited at "The British Soldier" exhibition in 1918.
After the war, Kennington met T.E. Lawrence and illustrated his book "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom." He also began to experiment with sculpture, creating notable works such as the 24th Division Memorial in Battersea Park in 1924 and a statue of Thomas Hardy unveiled in Dorchester in 1931. He also created a stone effigy of T.E. Lawrence for St. Martin's Church in Wareham between 1937 and 1939.
During the Second World War, Kennington was again appointed an official war artist, this time for the Air Ministry. He produced numerous portraits of Royal Air Force pilots and aircrew, capturing the resilience and courage of airmen. In 1942, 52 of his portraits were published in the book "Drawing the RAF."
After the war, Kennington continued to work on commissions for sculpture and portraiture. In 1951, he became an Associate of the Royal Academy and was elected a full Academician in 1959. He died on 13 April 1960 in Reading, Berkshire, and was buried in Checkendon, Oxfordshire.
Kennington's works are held in prestigious collections, including Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery. His artistic legacy remains a significant contribution to 20th-century British art, particularly for his poignant depictions of the realities of war and his expressive portraits.
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