Watford School of Art

Founded in 1874 the Watford School of Art opened in the town’s Public Library. It provided day and evening classes in a variety of subjects, including draughtsmanship, decorative art and applied art but Fine Art as we know it did not commence until 1907. Associated with the School was the Watford Art Circle which aimed to further the welfare of the School of Art by ‘the introduction of a Social side, the provision of Lectures bearing on the Art Work of the School, and by serving as a School Sketching Club and Past Students' Association’. It was organised and managed by the local authority with very practical aims, and the Watford Art Circle, a voluntary society, was a modest form of patronage for the public good rather than for the accumulation of personal wealth. The main benefits of the school were felt in local industry and commerce, the growth of the printing industry in Watford and the development of lithography and colour etching techniques constantly provided opportunities and ideas for the artists. A complete contrast was offered by the Herkomer Art School in Bushey. Hubert Herkomer came to live in Bushey in 1874 and opened his eponymous Art School in 1883. Alumni and staff at Watford have included Philip Thompson, Peter Schmidt, Rowland Jarvis, Hansjorg-Mayer, Anthony Froshaug, Annie Spong, Lesley Anne Ivory and Alan Kitching