Randolph Schwabe 1885-1948

Influential teacher, draughtsman and printmaker, especially of urban subjects, illustrator and designer. Born in Manchester, Schwabe studied briefly at the Royal College of Art, Slade School of >Fine Art, 1900-5, and at Académie Julian, Paris, 1906. Official War Artist I, making drawings of the Women’s Land Army. Went on to teach at Camberwell and Westminster Schools of Art. Was drawing master at the Royal College of Art, and then succeeded Henry Tonks as Slade Professor and head of the Slade School of Art, 1930, an apt choice, as Schwabe’s exact draughtsmanship was firmly in the Slade tradition. Schwabe was a prolific exhibitor at NEAC and Goupil Gallery, also showing at Carfax Gallery, Fine Art Society, Leicester Galleries and RW. Tate Gallery holds his work. Among the books Schwabe illustrated were Walter de la Mare’s Crossing, 1921, several books by the writer on dance Cyril Beaumont and H E Bates’ The Tinkers of Elstow, 1946. A large retrospective as held at Chris Beetles in 1994. Lived finally at Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire.