One of Britian's most admired modern artists whose career spanned six decades
Ivon Hitchens was the only child of landscape painter Alfred Hitchens and Ethel Margaret Seth-Smith, a talented amateur artist. He is widely regarded as the outstanding English landscape painter of the 20th century and is considered to be one of the most important British painters of his generation.
From 1911 to 1918 he studied at St John's Wood School of Art and at the Royal Academy, London. He was a member of the 7&5 Society from 1922 to 1925, and joined the London Group in 1931. In 1940 he settled near Petworth in West Sussex.
Much-loved for his landscape paintings featuring swathes of bright colour, Hitchens many painted in the open air surrounding his secluded Sussex home. Yet there is more to the artist than the post-war work for which he is best known, his career spanned a remarkable six decades.
1911-12
Attended the Royal Academy schools where, in addition to regular training, he was briefly taught by visiting academicians, including Orpen, Sargent, Clausen and Shannon
1914-16
Attended the Royal Academy schools
1918-19
Returned for a fourth and final year at RA schools
Awards
1951 Won a purchase prize at the Festival of Britain exhibition, 60 paintings for ‘51
1954 Completed a mural at Cecil Sharp House, Regent’s Park Road
1962 Installed another mural at University of Sussex
1956 The British Council arranged a retrospective exhibition for the Venice Biennale
1957 Hitchens was created CBE
1963 A major retrospective of work by the Arts Council at the Tate Gallery, London
1979 A third retrospective exhibition was held at RA Diploma Galleries
Memberships
1937 Elected member of the Society of Mural Painters
1931 Elected member of the London Group
1929 Elected member of the London Artists' Association
1920 Elected member of the newly formed Seven and Five Society, taking part in its first exhibition (April) and all subsequent exhibitions until 1935
