Anthony Harrison

Anthony Harrison (1931-2012)

Anthony Harrison was a British painter, printmaker, etcher, and educator whose work became known for its mastery of colour etching and aquatint. Born in Truro on 18 August 1931, he initially studied architecture at the Northern Polytechnic in London from 1949 to 1951 before turning to fine art. He subsequently studied painting and printmaking at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, where his tutors included Peter Coker. He earned qualifications in both painting and printmaking during this period.

During the 1950s and early 1960s, Harrison established himself in the London art world, exhibiting at venues including the St. George’s Gallery, the Piccadilly Gallery, and the Kaplan Gallery. His etchings were published by Editions Alecto, helping to bring his work to a wider audience.

In 1961, Harrison became Head of the Etching Department at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, a position that reflected his growing reputation as a printmaker and teacher.

A major turning point came in 1964 when he exhibited in the United States and subsequently settled there. Between the mid-1960s and early 1970s he taught printmaking at several institutions, including the Pratt Graphics Center and New York University. In 1970 he joined Columbia University, where he established the university’s first printmaking workshop and taught etching and engraving for approximately twenty-five years.

Harrison became a United States citizen in 1973 and later received support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts. From 1983 onward he lived and worked in Jersey City, where he converted a former factory into a studio and home.

His work is represented in numerous public collections, including the Brooklyn Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Government Art Collection.

Anthony Harrison died at his home in Jersey City, New Jersey, on 20 August 2012, two days after his eighty-first birthday.

Current Works

Anthony Harrison – Cart