About the artist
Born in London in 1895 and died in 1966, Harry Riley RI was a much-loved artist whose name you might not know, but his work will be familiar. He was mainly a commercial artist, widely acclaimed for his iconic poster designs from the 1920s to the 1960s, made for big brands like British Rail, Qantas, and BOAC. His vibrant and delightful illustrations, depicting popular British seaside vacation spots like Morecambe, Weston-Super-Mare, Plymouth, and Ilfracombe, were commissioned to promote the British rail network. These images have since become symbolic of Post-War British leisure and travel.
Riley pursued his studies at the Hammersmith and St Martin's Schools of Art, specializing in figure art.