# Rigby Graham

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English landscape and topographical artist

Rigby Graham Born 1931 Died 7 May 2015 (aged 83–84) Alma mater De Montfort University Occupation Painter, typesetter, graphic artist, illustrator, educator Awards Member of the Order of the British Empire

**Rigby Graham** [MBE](/source/Order_of_the_British_Empire) (2 February 1931 – 7 May 2015) was an [English](/source/English_people) landscape and topographical artist who worked within the English [Romanticism](/source/Romanticism) tradition but in his choice of colours owed a debt to German [Expressionism](/source/Expressionism).[1][2] He also worked in further and higher education.

## Life and career

Graham was born in Manchester[3] and trained as a [mural](/source/Mural) painter at the [Leicester College of Art](/source/Leicester_College_of_Art). After teaching at a number of local schools, Graham returned to lecture at the College of Art, firstly in [graphic design](/source/Graphic_design) and printing, then in [education](/source/Education) and latterly in [bookbinding](/source/Bookbinding). Graham illustrated more than 250 books and pamphlets and wrote extensively on [art](/source/Art) and artists. Graham retired from teaching in 1983.[4][5]

He was instrumental in the establishment of Leicester Polytechnic (now [De Montfort University](/source/De_Montfort_University)) and worked there as a lecturer and as a course administrator.[6]

He was appointed a [Member of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Member_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (MBE) in the [2010 Birthday Honours](/source/2010_Birthday_Honours), "For services to the Arts".[7]

He died on 7 May 2015.[3]

Many of Graham's murals are lost through overpainting or building demolition.[6] His 1959 work in oil, 'Newborn', was acquired in 2021 by [Leicester City Council](/source/Leicester_City_Council) and is now in the collection of [Leicester Museum & Art Gallery](/source/Leicester_Museum_%26_Art_Gallery),[6] which also holds several of his other works.[8]

His archives are at [Manchester Metropolitan University](/source/Manchester_Metropolitan_University).[9]

## Writings and works

- *Graham's Leicestershire*, 1980[10]

- *Holt Mill Papers* Peter and Donna Thomas, Santa Cruz, 1994

- *Kippers and Sawdust* The Old Style Press, Landogo, 1992 B00157WQ7M

- *Romantic Book Illustration in England 1943-55* Private Libraries Assn 1965 B0000CH197

- *John Minton 1917-57, A Selective Retrospective* Oriel 31, 1993 [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781870797139](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781870797139)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Rigby Graham, artist - obituary"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11615976/Rigby-Graham-artist-obituary.html). *The Telegraph*. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FP_2-0)** ["First Person: A salute to Rigby Graham, who made an extraordinary contribution to British art"](http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Person-salute-Rigby-Graham-extraordinary/story-28142573-detail/story.html). *Leicester Mercury*. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BBC-34798025_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BBC-34798025_3-1) ["Rigby Graham celebration: 'No compromise' artist remembered"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-34798025). *BBC News*. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Thompson, Alan (10 May 2015). ["Renowned Leicester artist Rigby Graham dies, aged 84"](http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Renowned-Leicester-artist-Rigby-Graham-dies-aged/story-26465006-detail/story.html). *Leicester Mercury*. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Masters, Christopher (1 June 2015). ["Rigby Graham obituary"](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/jun/01/rigby-graham). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BBC-68181618_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BBC-68181618_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-BBC-68181618_6-2) ["Rigby Graham: Artist's rare work goes on display at Leicester museum"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-68181618). *BBC News*. BBC News. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["No. 59446"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59446/supplement/17). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (1st supplement). 12 June 2010. p. 17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Graham, Rigby, 1931–2015"](https://artuk.org/discover/artists/graham-rigby-19312015). *Art UK*. Retrieved 5 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Rigby Graham Archive - Archives Hub"](https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/ca6db023-b754-3a34-a3d8-fbe78bcf40e5). *JISC*. Retrieved 5 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Rigby Graham Graham's Leicestershire"](https://www.goldmarkart.com/products/rigby-graham-grahams-leicestershire-bk-rg-leics). *Goldmark*. Retrieved 5 February 2024.

### Further reading

- Yorke, Malcolm (2015). *Against the Grain: The Life and Art of Rigby Graham*. Goldmark. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1909167193](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1909167193).

## External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[Rigby Graham](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/Rigby_Graham)***.

- [A digital biography of Rigby Graham](http://britainisnocountryforoldmen.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/britain-is-country-and-leicester-city.html)

- [Doctor of Letters Degree Award -Oration](http://www.le.ac.uk/ebulletin-archive/ebulletin/news/2000-2009/2008/06/npfolder.2008-07-07.7204208003/nparticle.2008-07-10.2689500119/index.html)

- [Examples of Rigby Graham paintings and art](http://www.goldmarkart.com/all-art/all-artists/rigby-graham.html)

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