Anthony Gross

Painter, etcher, illustrator and animated cartoon filmmaker, Anthony Gross was born in 1905 in London. He attended the Slade School, the Center School (under W.P. Robins), the Academie Julian in Paris (under Pierre Laurend) and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris (under C.A. Waltner). In 1924, Gross worked under Carlos Berger in Madrid and from 1924 to 1927, he traveled extensively, forming a friendship with S.W. Hayter. After 1927, he lived in worked in France, becoming a member of La Jeunne Gravure Contemporaire in 1931.

Gross exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1924 and showed in Paris from 1930. He held regular solo exhibitions in London galleries, including the Leicester Galleries and he also exhibited at the London Group. From 1948 to 1954, Gross taught at the Central School and from 1954 to 1976, he taught at the Slade School of Art.

Among his book illustrations are those for Cocteau’s “Les Enfants Terribles” and in 1970, he published “Etching, Engraving and Intaglio Printing”. Gross’s early paintings reflect the styles of Van Gogh, Soutine and Dunoyer de Segonzac and his etchings were influenced by Segonzac, Joseph Hecht and Emile Laboureur. Particularly in his etchings, Gross’s work is characterized by it’s liveliness, diversity of line and wealth of detail and vivacious movement.