Eric Ravilious was born in 1903 and studied under Paul Nash at the Royal College of Art. He was best known for his wood engravings and book illustrations, and was also a profilic watercolourist. He also engraved glass and designed pottery for Wedgewood. He was appointed official war artist in 1939 and unfortunately was killed in a plane crash three years later whilst on a rescue mission off the coast of Iceland. In 2003 a major retrospective of his work was held at the Imperial War Museum.