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Leonard Beaumont exhibition pays tribute to Sheffield's prints charming Leonard Beaumont exhibition pays tribute to Sheffield's prints charming
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He was a shadowy figure who left little clue about what compelled him, after busy days in a newspaper office, to spend his evenings making art. Now Leonard Beaumont – who worked in the art department of the Sheffield Telegraph before creating the early brand identity for Sainsbury's – is being recognised in his home town with an exhibition of his graphic and dynamic prints and etchings. He was a shadowy figure who left little clue about what compelled him, after busy days in a newspaper office, to spend his evenings making art. Now Leonard Beaumont – who worked in the art department of the Sheffield Telegraph before creating the early brand identity for Sainsbury's – is being recognised in his home city with an exhibition of his graphic and dynamic prints and etchings.
Sian Brown, curator of the exhibition at Sheffield's Graves Gallery, recalled the first work of Beaumont's she came across in the city's municipal art collection. It was a 1932 lino print called Grinders, a bold and bracing monochrome image of two men sharpening knives – a symbolic scene from a city famous for its steel industry. The work has the simplified but vigorous look of its time and seemed influenced by futurism and vorticism – artistic movements that revelled in the speed of modern life and the triumph of mechanisation.Sian Brown, curator of the exhibition at Sheffield's Graves Gallery, recalled the first work of Beaumont's she came across in the city's municipal art collection. It was a 1932 lino print called Grinders, a bold and bracing monochrome image of two men sharpening knives – a symbolic scene from a city famous for its steel industry. The work has the simplified but vigorous look of its time and seemed influenced by futurism and vorticism – artistic movements that revelled in the speed of modern life and the triumph of mechanisation.
"I thought it was beautiful, very strong," says Brown, "and it got me thinking about who he was, and how this work of his had ended up in the collection. Then, fortunately for me, we received funding to catalogue our works-on-paper collection, which gave me an opportunity to have a good look at what we had.""I thought it was beautiful, very strong," says Brown, "and it got me thinking about who he was, and how this work of his had ended up in the collection. Then, fortunately for me, we received funding to catalogue our works-on-paper collection, which gave me an opportunity to have a good look at what we had."
She discovered that Museums Sheffield held about 80 of Beaumont's works, which the artist had donated to his home city before his death in 1986. They were mostly prints, though there were "a couple of watercolours and sketches". She found that Museums Sheffield held about 80 of Beaumont's works, which the artist had donated to his home city before his death in 1986. They were mostly prints, though there were "a couple of watercolours and sketches".
An exhibition was held in 1983 but, frustratingly, though a catalogue essay was produced, many details about his life and artistic practice remained unanswered. "It is incredibly tantalising," says Brown. "I keep thinking, why didn't they ask him more questions at the time? The correspondence is very functional: there's plenty about 'I'm getting the 3.56 to Sheffield' but not much else. I'm hoping that people will come forward with more information about him. His work seems to have been under-rated during his lifetime – and forgotten about afterwards." An exhibition was held in 1983 but, frustratingly, though a catalogue essay was written, many details of his life and artistic practice remained unanswered. "It is incredibly tantalising," says Brown. "I keep thinking, why didn't they ask him more questions at the time? The correspondence is very functional: there's plenty about 'I'm getting the 3.56 to Sheffield' but not much else. I'm hoping people will come forward with more information about him. His work seems to have been under-rated during his lifetime – and forgotten about afterwards."
His prints, she says, fall into two broad categories: his drypoints and etchings, which tend to be detailed and realist; and his stylised lino prints, which are, for her, the really exciting part of his output.His prints, she says, fall into two broad categories: his drypoints and etchings, which tend to be detailed and realist; and his stylised lino prints, which are, for her, the really exciting part of his output.
"It's simply the beauty of the images. They are so reflective of the dynamism of the period; there is a sense of rhythm and movement that he is able to create through the really sharp lines of the lino print," she says."It's simply the beauty of the images. They are so reflective of the dynamism of the period; there is a sense of rhythm and movement that he is able to create through the really sharp lines of the lino print," she says.
The subjects range from mountain scenes (he was fond of the Alps) to the slightly cheeky Nymphs, Errant (1937), in which Beaumont seems to have been attracted by what you might call the formal qualities of women's legs raised for a high kick.The subjects range from mountain scenes (he was fond of the Alps) to the slightly cheeky Nymphs, Errant (1937), in which Beaumont seems to have been attracted by what you might call the formal qualities of women's legs raised for a high kick.
His lino prints are not dissimilar to the work of the Grosvenor school of artists, who included figures such as Cyril Power and Sybil Andrews – except Beaumont was working more or less in isolation in Sheffield, rather than as part of a celebrated and cosmopolitan collective in London. His lino prints are not dissimilar to the work of the Grosvenor school of artists, who included figures such as Cyril Power and Sybil Andrews – except Beaumont was working more or less alone in Sheffield, rather than as part of a celebrated and cosmopolitan collective in London.
His career is all the more intriguing because he seems to have been largely self-taught. Born in 1891, Beaumont worked at the Sheffield Telegraph as, he said in a 1983 interview, "a general factotum". He seemed, says Brown, mostly to have worked on commercial projects, designing adverts.His career is all the more intriguing because he seems to have been largely self-taught. Born in 1891, Beaumont worked at the Sheffield Telegraph as, he said in a 1983 interview, "a general factotum". He seemed, says Brown, mostly to have worked on commercial projects, designing adverts.
He attended evening classes at the Sheffield School of Art from 1912-15 and he made prints in his spare time, learning etching from a book, and designing his own printing press, which was built by contacts in the steel industry. Some of his etchings were publicly exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, in Edinburgh and in Glasgow.He attended evening classes at the Sheffield School of Art from 1912-15 and he made prints in his spare time, learning etching from a book, and designing his own printing press, which was built by contacts in the steel industry. Some of his etchings were publicly exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, in Edinburgh and in Glasgow.
In 1936 he quit both his home town and his habit of making prints in the evenings. "I didn't have time, and besides, nobody made any money out of them in the 1920s and 30s," he said in 1983. In 1936 he quit both Sheffield and his habit of making prints in the evenings. "I didn't have time, and besides, nobody made any money out of them in the 1920s and 30s," he said in 1983.
He moved to London and got a job at United Artists, designing film adverts; he then went to the advertising agency Mather & Crowther, where, during the war, he wrote: "We got more and more involved in war propaganda or, to put it differently, publicity intended to spread ideas or information to further the war effort." He moved to London and got a job at United Artists, designing film adverts; he then went to the advertising agency Mather & Crowther, where, during the war, he wrote, "we got more and more involved in war propaganda or, to put it differently, publicity intended to spread ideas or information to further the war effort."
In 1950 he was appointed design consultant to Sainsbury's and was in charge of the grocer's first coherent style for packaging and brand identity, during a period when it was transforming itself from a traditional, counter-service shop into a self-service supermarket.In 1950 he was appointed design consultant to Sainsbury's and was in charge of the grocer's first coherent style for packaging and brand identity, during a period when it was transforming itself from a traditional, counter-service shop into a self-service supermarket.
Brown wishes she knew more of the man but all she has are tiny clues. In a note to the museum about the display of his etched self-portrait back in 1983 (when Beaumont was 91), he wrote it should be titled An Ancient Monument Without a Preservation Order. "Somehow it gives you a glimpse of what he might have been like," she says. "He clearly didn't take himself incredibly seriously. There's something rather humbling about that."Brown wishes she knew more of the man but all she has are tiny clues. In a note to the museum about the display of his etched self-portrait back in 1983 (when Beaumont was 91), he wrote it should be titled An Ancient Monument Without a Preservation Order. "Somehow it gives you a glimpse of what he might have been like," she says. "He clearly didn't take himself incredibly seriously. There's something rather humbling about that."
• The Power of the Print: Leonard Beaumont Rediscovered, is at Graves Gallery, Sheffield, until 14 September • The Power of the Print: Leonard Beaumont Rediscovered, is at the Graves Gallery, Sheffield, until 14 September