Leon Underwood

Leon Underwood (1890-1975)

was a well-known London born sculptor, painter in oil and watercolour, wood engraver, lithographer, mainly of figure subjects. He studied art at the Regent Street Polytechnic 1907-10, at the Royal College of Art 1910-13, and at the Slade School 1919-20. Underwood served in the 1914-18 war in the Camouflage Section of the Royal Engineers. He visited Holland 1911, Germany and Russia 1913, Iceland 1923, Yugoslavia and Italy 1925, U.S.A. and Canada 1926-27, Mexico 1928, and West Africa 1945. His first one-man show was held 1922 at the Chenil Galleries in London. He exhibited with the New English Art Club 1919-44 and at the Royal Academy 1925-74. During World War II he served in the Civil Defence Camouflage unit 1939-42, which was based at Leamington Spa. He was the author of a number of books, including Art for Heaven’s Sake 1934 and Bronzes of West Africa 1949. His work is represented in a number of public collections including the Tate Gallery, the Ashmolean Museum, Government Art Collection, Imperial War Museum and Manchester Art Gallery. He lived in West London for many years.

Current Works

Leon Underwood – View across a Park