Description

Sir Frank Brangwyn RA, RWS, RBA and the Brangwyn Panels.

Frank Brangwyn was born on 12th May 1867 in Bruges, Belgium to Welsh Parents and throughout his life was a highly successful and productive artist and illustrator. It is estimated that during his lifetime he produced over 12,000 works which included 1.000 oil paintings, 660 mixed media (watercolour and gouache), 500 etchings, 400 wood engravings, 280 lithographs and 40 architectural interior designs. He was very famous for his marine and maritime paintings and also very large murals. An internationally acclaimed artist he was commissioned to create artwork and murals throughout the world. During the first world war, he was commissioned to create 80 propaganda posters all the proceeds of which, including his commission fees, were donated to the Red Cross and the Royal National Institute for the Blind. In 1926 Frank Brangwyn was commissioned to paint a series of 16 panels based on the Commonwealth for the House of Lords. However, these were rejected by the Royal Academy for being too bright and patronising to the indigenous people of the commonwealth. In 1934 the panels were purchased by the Swansea Town Council for the Guildhall. Sir Frank Brangwyn never retired and worked tirelessly all his life until passing away at the age of 89.