H. M. Bateman | |
|---|---|
 H. M. Bateman working at his home in Reigate, Surrey, 2 December 1931 | |
| Born | Henry Mayo Bateman 15 February 1887 |
| Died | 11 February 1970(1970-02-11) (aged 82) |
| Style | Cartoonist |
Henry Mayo Bateman (15 February 1887 – 11 February 1970,Mgarr,Malta)[1][2] was a British humorous artist andcartoonist.
H. M. Bateman was noted for his "The Man Who..." series of cartoons, featuring comically exaggerated reactions to minor and usuallyupper-class social gaffes, such as "The Man Who Lit His Cigar Before theRoyal Toast", "The Man Who Threw a Snowball atSt. Moritz" and "The Boy Who Breathed on the Glass at theBritish Museum" which appeared in the satirical magazinePunch.[3]
Henry Bateman was born in the small village ofSutton Forest inNew South Wales,Australia.[4] His parents were Henry Charles Bateman and Rose Mayo. His father had leftEngland for Australia in 1878, at the age of 21, to seek his fortune, then returned to England briefly in 1885 before going back with an English wife. Soon after Henry was born, the family returned to London.[4] He had one sister, Phyllis, three years younger.[citation needed]
Bateman was enthusiastic about drawing from an early age.[5] At the age of 14, he had already decided had an illustration published.[6] In 1901, the cartoonistPhil May, in response to a letter from Rose, showed interest in his drawings, and that year he was inspired by an exhibition of black-and-white art at theVictoria and Albert Museum.[citation needed]
Bateman initially studied at Forest Hill House.[4] Bateman's father had initially decided that he should follow him into business, but eventually, after many arguments, financed his study at theWestminster School of Art which he commenced at the age of 16. Bateman did well but was bored by the lifeless "life" classes and after qualifying at Westminster transferred his study to theNew Cross Art School.[a]
He also did some practical work at the studio ofCharles Van Havermaet.[4]
Bateman's first published drawing was inScraps in 1903[4] and his first contract was in 1904, for ten drawings and two illustrations in a fourpenny monthly magazine calledThe Royal. He then progressed to a contract withThe Tatler and many other magazines besides, including theIllustrated Sporting News and Dramatic News,Pearson's Weekly,Tatler,The Sketch, andPunch, which began publishing his work in 1915.[6][4]
Although he attempted to join the military and fight in the First World War, he was rejected on medical grounds.[4][6]
Bateman's first solo exhibition in 1911 was at the Brook Street Gallery,Mayfair.[4] Bateman's work was also part of the painting event in theart competition at the1928 Summer Olympics.[7]
Bateman was selected by Percy Bradshaw for inclusion in his 1918The Art of the Illustrator which presented a portfolio for each of twenty illustrators.[note 1]A Book of Drawings was a collection of his cartoons with an introduction byG.K. Chesterton, published in 1921.[4] A bomb destroyed the plates for a luxury edition of the best ofThe Man Who... cartoons at the beginning of theSecond World War.[4]
Bateman greatly influenced the style of American cartoonistHarvey Kurtzman.[10]
Bateman married Brenda Collison Wier and they had two children, Diana and Monica, both of whom became artists.[citation needed] Diana was part of a group who later formed theCartoon Art Trust in 1988.[6]
He separated from his family in 1947 and retired to Devon.[4] In later life, Bateman carried on an increasingly acrimonious battle with theInland Revenue. His final years were spent on the island ofGozo,Malta, where he died of heart failure in February 1970.[11][4]
A centenary celebration of his work was exhibited at theRoyal Festival Hall on London'sSouth Bank in 1987. AnEnglish Heritageblue plaque, unveiled in 1997, commemorates Bateman at 40 Nightingale Lane inClapham, south London.[12]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
