Harlequinade (School Print)
Clarke HuttonOriginal ‘School Print’, Harlequinade, by Clarke Hutton and published by School Prints Ltd, 1946. The design depicts a stage set with dancers in bright costume, including a harlequin, clown, ballet dancer and policeman. A woman in a pink spotted blouse empties water from a jug out of the upstairs window of a fishmonger's shop. A higher resolution image file is available for viewing on request.
School Prints Ltd was set up in 1945 by Brenda Rawnley to supply original, high-quality contemporary art to schools. The project commissioned both well-known and emerging artists, with the lithograph printing undertaken by the Baynard Press. Each lithograph had a drawn frame so that the print could be pinned to the wall. In the words of the Victoria & Albert Museum, “the scheme was a unique attempt at giving children access to original works of art in a period of austerity”. More information about School Prints can be found here.