Adolfine Mary Ryland facts for kids

Adolfine Mary Ryland (born March 14, 1903 – died 1983) was a talented British artist. She was known for her sculptures, paintings, and prints. Her artwork often featured new and creative designs. She was also inspired by art from India and other Eastern countries.

Adolfine Ryland's Life and Art

Sculpture panel at the former St Martin's School of Art by Ryland

Adolfine Ryland was born in Windsor, England. Her father worked as a solicitor, which is a type of lawyer. She later returned to live in Windsor.

Early Art Training

Ryland studied art at two famous schools. From 1920 to 1925, she attended the Heatherley School of Fine Art. After that, she went to the Grosvenor School of Modern Art. There, she learned special art techniques. Her teachers, Iain Macnab and Claude Flight, taught her how to make linocut and woodcut prints. These are ways of making art by carving designs into linoleum or wood blocks.

Exhibiting Her Work

In 1927, Ryland started showing her art with the Women's International Art Club (WIAC). This club became her main place to exhibit her work for many years. She became a member of WIAC in 1936 and stayed a member until the late 1950s. She also showed her art at other galleries, like the Ward and Albany Galleries in 1931. Later, her work was displayed at the Wertheim and Bloomsbury Galleries.

Public Sculptures and Commissions

During the 1930s, Adolfine Ryland received many requests to create sculptures. She also worked for the London County Council. For them, she made stone sculptures for public buildings.

One of her most famous works is a series of panels. These panels surround the four entrances of the former St Martin's School of Art building. This building is now the Foyles bookshop in central London. Ryland worked on these panels from 1937 to 1939.

Details of the St Martin's Panels

For the School of Art, Ryland created two types of stone panels. Eight of these panels show students and shop workers. They depict people doing everyday tasks, like using a sawing machine or unrolling fabric. The other four panels are portraits of dramatic figures.

In 1940, the Tate art museum bought one of her sculptures. It was a panel from 1933 called Isaac Blesses Jacob. This sculpture shows her interest in art forms from India and other Eastern cultures.

Later Exhibitions and Signatures

In 1987, after her death, the Michael Parkins Gallery held an exhibition. It was called Printmakers of the 20s and 30s and Adolfine Ryland. This show featured her prints and drawings. It also included two posters she made for London Underground. These posters were titled Home from the Office and Out of the fog, into the sunshine.

Sometimes, Adolfine Ryland signed her artwork with a different name. She used "Koncelik," which was her mother's maiden name.