Gunhills, Windley
© P. and R. Bliss. Image credit: Tate

Gunhills, Windley 1946–52

Douglas Percy Bliss (1900–1984)

Tate

Painter, wood engraver, writer and teacher, born in Karachi, who attended Edinburgh University, graduating with a master’s degree in 1922. Then studied painting at Royal College of Art under William Rothenstein and wood engraving with Sir Frank Short as a postgraduate during 1922–4. The several strands of Bliss’s versatile career then began to unwind. In 1927 he shared a show at the St George’s Gallery with Edward Bawden and Eric Ravilious, artists with whom he had a strong affinity. Also showed at RA, SWE and NEAC and had one-man exhibitions with Reid and Lefevre. In the 1930s Bliss taught at Hornsey and Blackheath Schools of Art, just after World War II – during which he served in the Royal Air Force – at Harrow School of Art, then from 1946–64 was the influential director of Glasgow School of Art.

Text source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman (Art Dictionaries Ltd, part of Sansom & Company)

Artworks by Douglas Percy Bliss

  • Gunhills, Windley
    Gunhills, Windley Douglas Percy Bliss (1900–1984)
    Tate
  • Charcoal Burners
    Charcoal Burners Douglas Percy Bliss (1900–1984)
    Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum
  • Urban Garden under Snow
    Urban Garden under Snow Douglas Percy Bliss (1900–1984)
    Glasgow Museums Resource Centre (GMRC)
  • High Noon, Windley
    High Noon, Windley Douglas Percy Bliss (1900–1984)
    Chelmsford Museum Store
  • In the Western Isles
    In the Western Isles Douglas Percy Bliss (1900–1984)
    Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture
  • Female Statue
    Female Statue Douglas Percy Bliss (1900–1984)
    The Glasgow School of Art

Find out more

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Douglas Percy Bliss was born in Karachi, India [now Pakistan] on 28 January 1900. He subsequently moved to the UK and grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland. After serving in the Highland Light Infantry during World War One, he attended Edinburgh University where he read Rhetoric, English Literature and art history (1919-22). He then studied at the Royal College of Art in London (1922-25).

While at the RCA he attended the Saturday morning engraving classes given by Sir Frank Short.

In 1928 he married the painter Phyllis Dodd (1899-1995). Following their marriage, the couple lived at 65 Sandcroft Road, Lambeth, and in 1932 moved to a flat at 38 Lee Park, Blackheath, London where Bliss established the Blackheath Society for Amenity Conservation. He also taught at taught at Blackheath School of Art and Hornsey College of Art.

In 1940, during World War Two, their flat was badly damaged by bombing and they then moved to a rented cottage in Shottle, Derbyshire. From 1941 to 1945 Bliss served in the Royal Air Force. After the war he went back to teaching at Hornsey College of Art and also taught at Harrow School of Art in 1945–46.

In 1946 Bliss was appointed Director of the Glasgow School of Art, a position he held until 1964. During this period the couple lived at 3 Prince's Gardens, Glasgow.

Bliss frequently exhibited at the Royal Academy in London from 1930 to 1956. He also exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh from 1935 to 1964; the New English Art Club in London from 1931 to 1938; the Royal Society of British Artists in 1939; and at the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts; and at Manchester City Art Gallery. Solo exhibitions were held at Lefevre Gallery and Leger Gallery. in London and in 1946 a joint exhibition of work by Bliss and Dodd was held at Derby City Art Gallery.

Bliss illustrated a number of books including Border Ballads (1925); The Devil in Scotland (1934); and Edgar Allan Poe's Some Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1938). He also wrote art criticism and book reviews for various periodicals including The Listener and The Scotsman.

Following his retirement in 1964, Bliss and Dodd returned to Derbyshire to live. Bliss died in Ashbourne, Derbyshire on 11 March 1984

Venues

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