John Buckland-Wright was born in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1897. After studying architecture at Oxford University, he turned to art in the 1920s, excelling in engraving and etching. He collaborated with the Golden Cockerel Press on numerous illustrated editions, depicting mythological and romantic themes. He taught at Camberwell and the Slade, fostering new generations of artists and emphasising the importance of integrating printmaking into the broader art curriculum, and was a significant member of the London Group.
Printmaker and teacher, John Buckland-Wright was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 3 December 1897. His father died when he was still a child, and by 1908, he had relocated to England with his mother. Following schooling at Clifton College and Rugby, and studying history at Oxford University, he pursued architecture in London. However, he ultimately decided to abandon this in favour of the fine arts. A crucial turning point came when he moved to Belgium in the 1920s, settling in Brussels where his mother and stepfather resided. During this period, Belgium was home to an exceptionally dynamic artistic community, and he quickly became immersed in its creative circles. By 1925, he had joined Gravure Originale Belge and Xylographes Belges, two influential printmaking groups. His involvement in these organisations further cemented his reputation as a skilled engraver and printmaker. In 1929, Buckland-Wright relocated to Paris, where he joined Stanley William Hayter’s influential printmaking workshop, Atelier 17. Under Hayter’s guidance, he refined his techniques and eventually became one of the studio’s acting directors whenever Hayter was unavailable. Atelier 17 fostered an innovative approach to printmaking, combining technical mastery with artistic experimentation. Buckland-Wright thrived in this environment, producing some of his most significant works while collaborating with leading avant-garde artists.
Throughout the 1930s, he exhibited widely across Europe and North America, holding solo shows in Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, The Hague, and Cleveland, Ohio. In 1937, he held his first solo exhibition in London at the Dalau Gallery, further consolidating his reputation within the British art world. His growing status as an accomplished engraver and illustrator led to commissions for book illustrations. He worked extensively with private presses, such as the Halcyon Press in the Netherlands and the Golden Cockerel Press in England, creating engravings for literary works. His collaboration with Alexander A. Stols at Halcyon led to over a dozen illustrated books, including John Keats’ Sonnets (1930) and Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death and Other Tales (1932). His association with the Golden Cockerel Press resulted in some of his finest illustrated books. He contributed engravings to Algernon Charles Swinburne’s Laus Veneris (1948), James Branch Cabell’s Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice (1949), and John Keats’ Endymion (1947), the latter often considered his masterpiece. His 58 wood engravings for Endymion demonstrated his ability to merge classical and romantic elements with a modern sensibility. He also illustrated Swinburne’s Pasiphaë (1950) and Hero & Leander (1949).
Buckland-Wright’s engravings frequently explored classical mythology, romantic figures, and surrealist influences, often featuring nymphs, nereids, satyrs, and mythological characters in dreamlike settings. He was also fascinated by the human form, which informed his meticulous studies, often influenced by classical sculptures and anatomy guides. During the mid-1930s, he expanded his work into abstraction and surrealism, producing compositions that combined strong, precise lines with fluid, rhythmic forms.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Buckland-Wright left Paris and returned to England, where he began teaching in London (also joining the London Group between 1940-43). He initially took up a teaching position at the Anglo-French Art Centre in St John's Wood, before securing a role at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts in 1948. His expertise in engraving and etching made him an invaluable educator, and he was instrumental in revitalising interest in these disciplines at a time when they were often overshadowed by painting and sculpture. In 1951, he exhibited his drawings in a joint exhibition with Clifford Hall and Nigel Lambourne at the Colnaghi Galleries, further affirming his reputation as a distinguished printmaker and draughtsman. In the same year he provided an abstracted cover design for the November 1951 London Group catalogue.
In 1952, he joined the faculty at the Slade School of Fine Art, where he worked to integrate printmaking into the broader art curriculum. His philosophy, outlined in his 1953 book, Etching and Engraving: Techniques and the Modern Trend, argued that printmaking should not be treated as a specialised discipline, but as an essential component of every artist’s training. His advocacy led to significant developments at the Slade, including the establishment of a lithography studio in 1953. Many of Buckland-Wright's students became accomplished printmakers in their own right, carrying forward his emphasis on integrating printmaking with broader artistic practices. He corresponded with William Coldstream, head of the Slade, urging him to expand the printmaking department’s resources. His efforts contributed to transforming the department into a centre for creative experimentation, inspiring a new generation of printmakers. Despite his role as an educator, Buckland-Wright remained an active artist throughout his career, balancing his teaching responsibilities with his creative pursuits. He continued to produce prints, paintings, and illustrations, refining his distinctive artistic vision.
John Buckland-Wright died in London, England on 27 September 1954. By the time of his death, he had produced around 1000 prints, including 600 book illustrations, underscoring the breadth of his artistic contribution. In the UK public domain, his work is represented in the collections of the British Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum, among others.