Few artists captured the Thames as vividly as Julian Trevelyan RA (1910–1988). From his studio at Durham Wharf in Hammersmith, where he lived and worked for more than fifty years, Trevelyan transformed everyday West London life, its bridges, boats and working waterfront, into works full of imagination and charm.
Julian Trevelyan was born in 1910 in Dorking, Surrey. Educated at Bedales and later at Trinity College, Cambridge, he abandoned academia in the early 1930s to pursue art in Paris. There, he became associated with Stanley William Hayter’s renowned print workshop, Atelier 17, a crucible of innovation that redefined the possibilities of modern printmaking.
In this collaborative studio, where established masters and emerging talents worked side by side, Trevelyan exchanged ideas with artists such as Joan Miró and Alberto Giacometti.
Under Hayter’s guidance, Trevelyan learnt radical new techniques, pushing beyond traditional etching and experimenting with open-bite methods, aquatint and deeply bitten plates to achieve striking textures and tonal depth. Influenced by Surrealist automatism, he embraced chance in his imagery, incorporating unusual materials such as textiles and leaves to create richly textured surfaces.
He explored layered compositions, bold use of colour and a fluid integration of drawing and printmaking, treating his plates like sketchbooks. In doing so, Trevelyan helped redefine printmaking as a medium of invention and expression rather than reproduction.
In 1935 Trevelyan purchased Durham Wharf, a charming waterfront property on the Thames between Hammersmith and Chiswick. The house, which he later shared with his wife, the artist Mary Fedden, became his creative anchor for the next five decades and firmly established his connection to West London’s artistic community.
![Julian Trevelyan R.A. (British, 1910-1988) Hammersmith Bridge [Turner 255]](https://chiswick.blob.core.windows.net/main/DSC09612AIG (2).jpg)
Julian Trevelyan R.A. (British, 1910-1988), Hammersmith Bridge [Turner 255], Sold for £1,512
The Thames, with its tides, bridges, houseboats and shifting light, became a recurring subject in his art. The culmination of this lifelong engagement with the river was the Thames Suite (1969), twelve etchings that chart the river’s journey from source to estuary. The series is both a technical tour de force and a deeply personal chronicle of the waterway that shaped his daily life.
Trevelyan’s artistic vision was shaped as much by travel as by his time in the studio. He journeyed widely across Europe, Africa, India and the Middle East, sketching and collecting visual impressions that later informed his paintings and prints.
Whether capturing the clear light of the Mediterranean, the vibrant bustle of Indian cities, or the rhythm of African villages, Trevelyan conveyed a sense of place distilled into simplified forms and vivid colour. His work reflects a deep curiosity about the world and a rare ability to translate observation into poetic imagery.
![Julian Trevelyan R.A. (British, 1910-1988) Mistral [Turner 299]](https://chiswick.blob.core.windows.net/main/256125-1-medium.jpg)
Julian Trevelyan R.A. (British, 1910-1988) Mistral [Turner 299], Sold for £1,890
From 1955 to 1975, Trevelyan taught at the Royal College of Art, where his generosity and experimental spirit influenced a generation of British printmakers, including David Hockney, R. B. Kitaj and Norman Ackroyd.
Elected a Royal Academician in 1987, he continued to work at Durham Wharf until his death the following year. Today, his prints are celebrated both for their technical innovation and as lyrical records of a changing London riverscape.
Chiswick Auctions would be delighted to assist you with selling works by Julian Trevelyan. Whether you are parting with a single print or an entire collection, our specialists will guide you through every stage of the consignment process.
As a West London auction house, Chiswick Auctions is rooted in the same area where Trevelyan lived and worked for much of his life. This local connection, supported by a strong base of dedicated collectors, puts us in an exceptional position to present Trevelyan’s works with authority and achieve outstanding results.
For a complimentary valuation, please contact prints@chiswickauctions.co.uk or submit your work via our Online Valuation form.