James Fitton (1899-1982) was a distinguished British painter, printmaker, and art administrator. He was recognized for his vivid and often witty depictions in his everyday life, landscapes, and portrait work.
- Born in Oldham, Lancashire, England, a thriving industrial town known as a global center of cotton spinning.
- Fitton apprenticed to a fabric designer at the age of fourteen and attended evening classes at Manchester School of Art. Later he studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London.
- In 1921, he moved to London. He continued his evening studies at the Central School of Arts & Crafts. During this time, he worked as an illustrator and poster designer for various publications, including Lilliput.
- He married Margaret Cook (1902–1988), also a painter, in 1928.
- James Fitton held his first solo exhibition at Arthur Tooth & Sons in 1933. He also worked as an illustrator for Left Review and created posters for the Ministry of Food and London Underground.
At the Royal Academy
- In 1944 he was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy and he became a full member a decade later.
- He served as Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools from 1968 to 1975. He played a significant role in administration. He also contributed to education.
- His early life in an industrial northern town influenced his artistic focus on working-class life and social observation.
(This postcard is part of a vast collection. An artist amassed it over sixty years ago and stored it in a wooden box).
- James Fitton is known for his figurative works, including genre scenes of modern life, landscapes, and portraits. He used a vibrant color palette and adopted a lively, often caricatural approach to figures.
Fitton’s work
- From 1932 to 1952, Fitton was a member of the London Group which promoted modern art in Britain. He was also involved with the Senefelder club and the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS). Contributed to the Society of Industrial Artists and Designers (SIAD), serving as SIAD President from 1957 to 1959.
- James Fitton passed away on May 2, 1982.
- His work is held in various collections. These include the Aberdeen Art Gallery and the Jerwood Foundation. Others are the London Transport Museum, Oldham Art Gallery, and the Tate Gallery.
- According to Mutual art, James Fitton’s work has been offered at auction multiple times and realized prices range from 97 USD to 37,462 USD. Since 1999, the record price for this artist at auction is 37,462 USD for Winter Landscape, sold at Sotheby Olympia in 2005.
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