Chris Orr RA

(b. 1943)

Chris Orr is a British painter, printmaker, and illustrator best known for highly detailed etchings and lithographs depicting London life, architecture, and contemporary society. Born in London, he studied at the Royal College of Art from 1963–66, where he was taught by Julian Trevelyan and became closely associated with the revival of British printmaking during the 1960s. He was elected a Royal Academician in 1995. Orr’s prints combine observational drawing, satire, and dense narrative detail, often presenting panoramic urban scenes populated by historical references, literary allusions, and contemporary figures. London has remained a recurring subject throughout his career, particularly the changing social and architectural character of the city.