Richard Hamilton

One of the most important British artists of the 20th century, the influence of Richard Hamilton (1922-2011) on the development of British arts and culture is both vast and exhilarating. “My ambition was to be multi-allusive,” he once observed. “I wanted to get all of living into my work.”

Widely regarded as a founding figure of Pop art, Hamilton continued to experiment and innovate over a career of 60 years. As well as his extraordinary artistic output, he was a great teacher. Working at the Royal College of Art, Hamilton influenced Hockney and Blake; at the University of Newcastle, he taught Bryan Ferry and played a huge role in establishing the relationship between Pop art and the burgeoning British Pop music scene. Through Ferry, Hamilton befriended Paul McCartney, who asked him to design the cover for the Beatles' White Album in 1968.