The Little Ships at Dunkirk - June 1940 - Norman Wilkinson - Framed art Print

Born in Cambridge, England on 24 November 1878, Norman Wilkinson CBE RI was a distinguished British artist who died on 30 May 1971. He was well known for his work in oils, watercolours, and drypoint, with a special focus on marine paintings. In addition to being a talented painter, Wilkinson also held roles as an illustrator, a poster artist, and a wartime camoufleur. He's best known for inventing dazzle painting, a technique used to safeguard merchant ships during World War I.

Wilkinson's early artistic education took place in Portsmouth and Cornwall, as well as the Southsea School of Art, where he even taught for a period. He furthered his studies with Louis Grier, a notable seascape painter. At just 21 years old, he ventured to Paris to study academic figure painting, but his passion for maritime subjects had already been ignited.

He kicked off his illustration career in 1898 with his work being featured in The Illustrated London News. He continued to contribute to this publication for many years, as well as to the Illustrated Mail. Throughout his life, Wilkinson remained a prolific poster artist, crafting designs for the London and North Western Railway, the Southern Railway, and the London Midland and Scottish Railway.