Lot 637
JULIUS B. STAFFORD BAKER (1904–1988) §
TWENTY FOUR HOUR SUITE NO. 4/ MOON RISE
Auction: Day Two inc FL Griggs : A Cotswold Legacy | Lots 334 to 654 | Thursday 16th October from 10am
Description
woodcut print, inscribed lower left TWENTY HOUR SUITE NO. 4/ MOON RISE, with artist's proof, signed and dated lower right JULIUS B. STAFFORD BAKER, 58
Dimensions
44.5cm x 89cm (frame size 67cm x 112cm)
Footnote
Julius B. Stafford Baker (1904–1988) was a British painter, draughtsman, and printmaker born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. His father, also named Julius, created the Tiger Tim comic strip for the children’s publication The Rainbow. Baker later assumed responsibility for the strip while independently developing his skills as a painter. His interest in aviation began during his employment as a messenger for the Royal Flying Corps in 1918. During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Air Force, initially attached to a radar unit and subsequently as an intelligence officer posted overseas.
The War Artists’ Advisory Committee acquired a substantial number of his depictions of aircraft, many of which entered public collections such as the Imperial War Museum, the British Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Following the war, Baker continued to work as a children’s illustrator and exhibited at the Royal Academy. In 1956, he was awarded the Giles Bequest Prize for printmaking at the Victoria and Albert Museum.