Artwork
Drifter and Paddle Boats
Drifter and Paddle Boats is a print by Felix Kelly. It dates from 1946 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This print shows a quiet scene with a drifting boat and small paddle boats. Felix Kelly made it in 1946 as part of a bold plan to bring art into classrooms.
After World War II, schools struggled with money. Brenda Rawnsley started a project that paid famous artists to make prints sold cheaply to schools.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Drifter and Paddle Boats is a 1946 lithograph created by Felix Kelly as part of the School Prints scheme, a post-WWII initiative aimed at introducing contemporary art to schoolchildren through affordable, framed prints.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene scene of a drifting boat alongside small paddle boats, evoking a sense of everyday leisure and tranquility, reflecting the scheme's focus on relatable, optimistic imagery for young audiences.
Technique & Style
As a lithograph, the work utilizes a printmaking technique involving stone or metal plates to produce multiple copies. Kelly's style in this piece emphasizes simplicity and clarity, suited for a youthful audience and mass reproduction.
History & Provenance
Commissioned in 1946 for the School Prints scheme founded by Brenda Rawnsley, the print was part of a collection by renowned artists. The scheme operated from 1945 to 1949, ceasing due to financial constraints.
Context
Created amidst post-war austerity, Drifter and Paddle Boats represents an effort to bring cultural enrichment to schools facing financial challenges, embodying the era's hopeful spirit.
Legacy
While the School Prints scheme was short-lived, its prints, including Kelly's work, are now held in collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, preserving a record of mid-20th-century educational and artistic innovation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Felix Runcie Kelly was a New Zealand-born graphic designer, painter, stage designer, interior designer and illustrator who lived the majority of his life in the United Kingdom. He sometimes signed his illustration and cartoon work Fix.
