English Wood Engraving Society

In 1925 a group of artists comprising Leon Underwood, Blair Hughes-Stanton, Eileen Agar, Gertrude Hermes and Ralph Chubb, broke away from the Society of Wood Engravers and formed the English Wood Engraving Society. Its aim was to attract artists who were not solely interested in book illustration, but rather wanted to make wood engravings that were independent of such an illustrative function. Exhibitions were held annually at St. George’s Gallery, London. The Society, led by Underwood had by then set up its own magazine, 'The Island' which only ran for 4 issues in 3 volumes. In November 1931 the Society held its final exhibition at Colnaghi, London and some of its members subsequently re-joined the Society of Wood Engravers. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the 'English Wood Engravers Society'.