Opus 6
Dimensions: Image size 27 x 29.5cm.
Medium: Wood engraved print.
Edition Size: 10.
Peter (1934 – 2021) was an English wood engraver, artist and printmaker, making illustrations for The Folio Society, The Times, The Observer and Saatchi & Saatchi, together with a number of other publications. He was one of the first wood engravers to use colour in his printmaking. In 2005 he was asked by The Royal Mint to design the £2 coin to recognise the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot.
He taught at Bedford School for one year, but left as teaching was not a profession for him. Forster then pursued a career as a book illustrator on a freelance basis before taking up employment in the graphic design studio at the Department of the Environment in 1964 with the task of designing guide books. He considered that 'he'd sold his soul' and left in 1985 to continue work as a wood engraver in a private capacity. In particular he aligned his love of literature and art working with the Folio Society. He illustrated seven complete Folio Society volumes including works by Chaucer, Shakespeare, Jane Austen and George Eliot, among others.