Charles Pears
1873–1958
Place of BirthLondon
BiographyCharles Pears was born in Pontefract in Yorkshire. His work is characterised by a strong sense of design and decorative sensibility. Pears was a keen sailor and his practical knowledge of ships and the sea must have informed the marine paintings for which he is best known. In his early career he produced work for a wide range of publications, including Punch and the Illustrated London News. During the First World War, Pears was employed as an Official Naval Artist by the Admiralty and the Imperial War Museum. He was also a temporary Hon. Major in the Royal Marines from 1918 to 1919. Pears worked again as an Official Naval Artist during the Second World War. He was the first president of the Society of Marine Artists and over the course of his career he wrote and illustrated a number of books on sailing in the waters around England and neighbouring countries. Pears also designed posters for a railway companies, including London Underground.Geoffrey Prendergast 2014
