Henry Lamb English, 1883-1960

Henry Lamb was an English painter, born in Australia in 1883. In 1911 he first visited Ireland and from this point on Lamb's work was influenced by Gaugin. His work was displayed at the Second Post-Impressionist exhibition, and in the same year he became a founder member of the Camden town group and of the London group two years later. At the start of the First World War Lamb resumed medical studied, and qualified in 1916 to become a battalion medical officer with the 5th Enniskillen Fusiliers. He was invalided home. After the signing of teh Armistice he was appointed War Artist, and was commissioned to paint for a special gallery of large war pictures. In 1922 the London Alpine Club Gallery held Lamb's first solo exhibition, in which his Lytton Strachey portrait provoked much interest. During the Second World War Lamb was again appointed an official War Artist from 1940-45, during which time he painted many portraits of soldiers. His health deteriorated in his later years which affected his work as a painter. Henry Lamb died in 1960.