Quentin Blake's illustrations are instantly recognisable to millions of
people around the world. A new exhibition to be held at London's
House of Illustration will explore an unusual aspect of Blake's work,
however, exhibiting for the first time 100 examples of his works of art.
100 Figures, will feature all of the 100 exhibited works - ranging from
large-scale oil paintings to drawings and prints, created between the
1950s and today.
Works included date back to his post-grad years in the 1950s when
he struggled to make a living as an illustrator and took life-drawing
classes at Chelsea School of Art. It was here that he first engaged
with the human figure, but soon, having observed how the human
body behaves, he found he was able to draw it from memory in any
pose, working from his vivid imagination.
100 Figures will also offer the chance to catch a rare glimpse of early
oil paintings by Blake - some painted on hardboard since he was
unable to afford canvases at that time and painted using commercial
house-painters' brushes.