Roderic Westwood Barrett
7 1/4 x 6 5/8 in
At the Central he was taught wood engraving by John Farleigh and in his second year there he engraved a series of illustrations to accompany William Cobbett’s Rural Rides, a project set by Farleigh. During the War he had a variety of jobs from farm labouring to school teaching, but in 1947 Farleigh offered him the post of part-time instructor in drawing and design at the Central, where he remained till 1968, when he was appointed a tutor in painting at the Royal Academy Schools.
Barrett’s post-War wood engravings engaged with Modernism and his work produced in the 1950’s is unique in character. Some of his engravings, such as Ass and Man he developed into paintings and Barrett abandoned wood engraving around 1955-56, though he continued as a member of the Society of Wood Engravers (elected 1952) until the mid-1960’s. As a painter he was a member of the Colchester Arts Society and succeeded Cedric Morris as its President.