Maurice Greiffenhagen was a painter, illustrator and designer whose work exemplifies the richness of late Victorian and early twentieth-century British art.
Known for his dramatic compositions and a refined sense of design, Greiffenhagen moved with ease between fine art and applied art, producing evocative oil paintings, commercial posters and finely detailed book illustrations throughout his career.
Educated at the Royal Academy Schools, Greiffenhagen quickly established himself with paintings that captured both romantic and psychological intensity. One of his most celebrated works, An Idyll (1891), depicting a shepherd grasping a woman amid a poppy-strewn field, achieved wide acclaim and famously inspired D.H. Lawrence’s first novel The White Peacock. Lawrence described the painting as a visual embodiment of passion, recognising in it the symbolist tendency to prioritise emotional resonance over narrative clarity.
Greiffenhagen’s stylistic hallmark, dramatic tension, confident draughtsmanship and rich colour, are vividly on display in The Mermaid (1918), a striking example of his mature work. Here, the artist’s skill in life drawing is matched by a decorative sensibility: the luminous background shimmers around the central figure, evoking both mystery and sensuality. As in many of his paintings, The Mermaid suggests a story, but offers only atmosphere - an enigmatic blend of desire, beauty and the unknown.
In addition to his studio practice, Greiffenhagen held the position of Professor of the Life Classes at the Glasgow School of Art from 1906 to 1926. Though he remained largely based in London to pursue his own artistic work, his legacy was felt through the teaching of assistant professors such as David Forrester Wilson, who handled the day-to-day running of the classes.
Greiffenhagen was elected a Royal Academician in 1922 and continued to exhibit widely until his death in 1931. His work remains celebrated for its bold design, emotional impact, and its distinctive place at the intersection of Victorian romanticism and early modern symbolism.
