Albert (Bert) Irvin OBE, RA

(1922-2016)

Bert Irvin was a British abstract painter and printmaker best known for his vibrant colour-based abstractions and dynamic gestural compositions. Born in London, he studied at Northampton School of Art before serving in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. From the 1960s onwards he became associated with the resurgence of abstraction in British art, developing a distinctive visual language rooted in rhythm, movement, and the emotional power of colour. Irvin was strongly connected to Cornwall and the St Ives artistic community, drawing inspiration from landscape, weather, and the sea. His paintings often combine sweeping brushwork with layered bands of luminous colour, creating compositions that suggest both structure and spontaneity. He was elected a Royal Academician in 1998 and appointed OBE in 2015 for services to visual arts. Alongside painting, Irvin produced lithographs and screenprints that extended his exploration of colour and movement into printmaking. Works created with Curwen Studio and Curwen Chilford Prints demonstrate how his energetic abstract forms could be translated into graphic media while retaining the immediacy and vitality of his painted work.