John Farleigh was born in London. He was apprenticed to the Artists’ Illustrators Agency and later studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, London, learning engraving from Noel Rooke. He taught for many years at the Central School of Arts and Crafts. A founder and long time Chairman of the Crafts Centre of Great Britain, his influence on the standing of art in Britain was enormous. He was a tireless populiser: working for commercial publishers and for London Transport far more than for private presses. In 1941 he was commissioned by the British Council to design the title page of the catalogue for Exhibition of Modern British Crafts, but he was also a deep-thinking artist who constantly experimented to produce works in a variety of styles that showed his fluid and brilliant use of line.

Further reading:
John Farleigh, Graven Image, Macmillan, London, 1939
John Farleigh, It never dies, The Sylvan Press, London, 1946
Monica Poole, The Wood Engravings of John Farleigh, Gresham Books, Henley-on-Thames, 1985

Glossary

  • Design

    The arrangement of elements or details in an artefact or a work of art.

  • Engraving

    An intaglio process whereby lines are cut into a metal or wood plate using an engraving tool (a burin), which is pushed in front of the hand to achieve a sharp controlled incision capable of great delicacy. This technique requires a great deal of control and is not suited to spontaneous mark-making.

See in

  • Art Project