Albert Houthuesen

(1903-1979)

Albert Houthuesen was a Dutch-born British painter and printmaker whose work is known for its poetic, often melancholic depictions of everyday life. Born in Amsterdam, he settled in Britain in the 1920s and studied at the Royal College of Art, later becoming an influential teacher at the Central School of Arts and Crafts. His work frequently focused on humble interiors, street scenes, fairs, and figures on the margins of society, rendered with expressive line and subdued colour. Although associated with elements of Expressionism, Houthuesen developed a highly personal style that combined emotional intensity with careful observation. His paintings and prints often convey a sense of solitude and quiet humanity, using distorted perspective and rich tonal variation to heighten atmosphere. Among his most notable graphic works is the Portfolio of Clowns, now represented in the collection of the Tate. Produced at Curwen Studio with Stanley Jones, the series demonstrates Houthuesen’s sympathy for theatrical and marginal figures, using expressive lithographic mark-making to evoke both humour and pathos.