Albert Herbert
Encyclopedia
Albert Charles Herbert was a British abstract and religious artist
, painter
and etcher.
picture library, taking evening classes at St Martin's School of Art.
man and took part in the Normandy landings in 1944 where he witnessed his comrades being picked off by German
sniper
s in the Normandy bocage
. His regiment had lost three-quarters of its men to death and injury by 1945 when it crossed the Rhine. An old schoolfriend, Bryan Forbes
, then a member of the "Stars in Battledress" forces entertainment troupe, picked him as a stage designer. This was the start of his artistic career. He was demobbed in 1947. In 1984 Thames Television
made a film, Albert Herbert's War, about his wartime experiences.
. A travel grant took him to Spain and Paris.
He then won a scholarship to the British School in Rome. He had no religious background, but while he was there was drawn towards Catholicism.
In 1954 he began a part-time work at Leicester College of Art and in 1956 he became a lecturer at the Birmingham School of Art
. He converted to Roman Catholicism at that time although he remained fascinated by Buddhism
. This was reflected in his art by his gradual adoption of religious and mythical subjects.
He joined St Martin's staff in 1964 where he stayed for 21 years becoming a principal lecturer.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and etcher.
Education
He went to West Ham secondary school and then worked in the News ChronicleNews Chronicle
The News Chronicle was a British daily newspaper. It ceased publication on 17 October 1960, being absorbed into the Daily Mail. Its offices were in Bouverie Street, off Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8DP, England.-Daily Chronicle:...
picture library, taking evening classes at St Martin's School of Art.
War service
He was called up in 1943, became an infantryInfantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
man and took part in the Normandy landings in 1944 where he witnessed his comrades being picked off by German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
s in the Normandy bocage
Bocage
Bocage is a Norman word which has entered both the French and English languages. It may refer to a small forest, a decorative element of leaves, a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, or a type of rubble-work, comparable with the English use of 'rustic' in relation to garden...
. His regiment had lost three-quarters of its men to death and injury by 1945 when it crossed the Rhine. An old schoolfriend, Bryan Forbes
Bryan Forbes
Bryan Forbes, CBE is an English film director, actor and writer.-Career:Bryan Forbes was born John Theobald Clarke on 22 July 1926 in Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, West Ham, Essex , and grew up at 43 Cranmer Road, Forest Gate, West Ham, Essex .Forbes trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of...
, then a member of the "Stars in Battledress" forces entertainment troupe, picked him as a stage designer. This was the start of his artistic career. He was demobbed in 1947. In 1984 Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
made a film, Albert Herbert's War, about his wartime experiences.
Post war career
He won a grant to Wimbledon School of Art and won a scholarship in 1949 to the Royal College of ArtRoyal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
. A travel grant took him to Spain and Paris.
He then won a scholarship to the British School in Rome. He had no religious background, but while he was there was drawn towards Catholicism.
In 1954 he began a part-time work at Leicester College of Art and in 1956 he became a lecturer at the Birmingham School of Art
Birmingham School of Art
The Birmingham School of Art was a municipal art school based in the centre of Birmingham, England. Although the organisation was absorbed by Birmingham Polytechnic in 1971 and is now part of Birmingham City University's Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, its Grade I listed building on...
. He converted to Roman Catholicism at that time although he remained fascinated by Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
. This was reflected in his art by his gradual adoption of religious and mythical subjects.
He joined St Martin's staff in 1964 where he stayed for 21 years becoming a principal lecturer.