Oliver Hall

Oliver Hall was inspired to begin etching by the prints of Sir Francis Seymour Haden and, like Haden, the subject of his etchings was pure naturalistic landscape. During the 1890’s Oliver Hall produced a considerable body of delicately worked original etchings and on the strength of these he was elected Associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers (R.E.) in 1891 and subsequently a fellow in 1894. After the year 1900 he became completely absorbed in painting and all but abandoned etching as a medium, even allowing his membership of the R.E. to expire in 1916.

In 1924 Oliver Hall returned to printmaking, using both etching and drypoint to create a second fine body of original work. He was re-elected to the R.E. in 1925 and made a Fellow, once again, in 1926. Oliver Hall's works are distinguished by the animated nature of his line and by their vivacious atmospheric effects. Many of the subjects from his first period of etching have now become extremely scarce. [more]