Victor Pasmore CBE

Victor Pasmore CH CBE RA (1908–1998)

Victor Pasmore was one of the most influential British artists of the twentieth century, renowned for his pioneering role in the development of abstract art in Britain and for a career that evolved dramatically from lyrical figurative painting to bold geometric abstraction.

Born in Surrey in 1908, Pasmore studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. His early work established him as an accomplished painter of landscapes and interiors, but during the late 1940s he made a radical shift toward abstraction. He began exploring the relationships between colour, line, shape and space, developing a distinctive visual language that would define his mature work.

Pasmore became a leading figure in post-war British abstraction. His compositions often combine geometric structures with more fluid, organic forms, creating a sense of movement, balance and rhythm. His experiments extended beyond painting and printmaking into relief construction, architecture and environmental design, reflecting his belief that abstract art could engage directly with the spaces in which people live.

In 1982, Barry Cronan Fine Art commissioned Pasmore's tapestry Three Images. Produced as a hand-knotted tapestry in India, the work was issued in a limited edition of 25 plus artist's proofs.

The tapestry medium provides a particularly compelling interpretation of Pasmore's abstract vocabulary. The texture and depth of the hand-knotted surface give physical presence to his relationships of colour, shape and line, translating the clarity and rhythm of his compositions into textile while retaining the distinctive character of his original work.

Pasmore was elected a Royal Academician and appointed a Companion of Honour in recognition of his contribution to British art. His work is represented in major museum and private collections internationally, and his influence on the development of British abstraction remains significant.